Tooro Kingdom mourns caretaker of royal stool

It was gloom on September 25, in Tooro Kingdom when they received sad news of the sudden death of Omukoona, the caretaker of the King’s royal stool (seat).
Omukoona Atwooki George Kyalimpa, 67, died on Wednesday afternoon at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital after a short illness. The deceased’s wife Eva Basigirenda, says he succumbed to diabetes which he had lived with for 25 years. He has been one of Tooro Kingdom’s key ritualists. His death came two weeks after King Oyo’s 24th coronation anniversary on September 12, which doubled as his last day on duty.
Kyalimpa has served King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV for the last 24 years, having assumed his duties upon the king’s coronation in 1995.

Loyal servant
Omukoona moves with the king wherever he goes around his kingdom to ensure the king’s stool is safe.
According to the minister of information and communication of Tooro Kingdom, Charles Mwanguhya Mpagi, every clan in Tooro Kingdom has a duty. He says omukoona comes from the Abaisanza clan.
“Atwooki Kyalimpa was a loyal and dedicated servant. His Royal Majesty Omukama, who is currently in the US for the 64th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has been briefed,” Mpagi says.
The Prime Minister of Tooro Kingdom, Benard Tungakwo, praised Kyalimpa for his dedication to serve the kingdom and for loving his king.
“His death death came as a great shock and a big loss to Tooro. The king and the kingdom have lost a great man. May Atwooki’s soul find eternal rest,” Tungakwo says.

His life
George Kyalimpa was born in 1952 in Humula, Burahya County in Kabarole District to the late Galimaka Ateenyi and Kaheeru Akiiki.
Basigirenda, 72, says they had spent 45 years in marriage and have six children.
“My husband has been on treatment for diabetes and had lived with it for about 25 years but the situation worsened recently. When we took him to hospital he could not make it back,” she says with a quiver.
She says they have lost a strong pillar of the family.
Moses Asiimwe, 20, a grandchild who is the successor of omukoona, says his grandfather was hardworking and passionate about his job. He says two years ago, his grandfather introduced him to the palace and started training him.
“My grandfather has been encouraging me to work hard and he taught me the norms and all rituals. I then started working with him since September 2018,” Asiimwe says.

principled
Ronney Tumusiime, who has been staying with the deceased at the palace, described Kyalimpa as a dedicated and principled man who loved his king and kingdom.
“The deceased loved mentoring children and instilling in them the norms and values of the kingdom,” says Tumusiime.

His appointment
The minister for culture in tooro Kingdom, Sunday Peter Rusoke, says: “The role of omukoona is not only to take care of the king’s stool (ekitebe ky’Omukama) but also to alert the kingdom about the health of the king and any internal movements within the palace.” He alerts the subjects by drumming, while facing four corners of the palace symbolising a compass.
“He is responsible for waking the king up at wee hours, drumming to invite people for the king’s meals (Oruhango), among others,” Rusoke says.
The Tooro Kingdom deputy information minister Vincent Mugume says: “We lost a jolly man who loved his job and served the king and kingdom wholeheartedly. We will miss his great wisdom of the kingdom history.”
He said the kingdom will identify the successor from Omwisanza clan who will take the responsibility.
The king is subjected to replace him through consultations either by the one existing trained on job or the clan leader presents another competent mwisanza.
Kyalimpa was buried on September 27, at his ancestral home in Kamahango, Buheesi Sub-county Bunyangabu District.
QUICK NOTE
At his burial, the second deputy Prime Minister of Tooro Kingdom Patrick Mugazi described the late Kyalimpa as hard working person who loved his kingdom.
“We have lost a pillar in the Kingdom because he knew many things concerning his kingdom, we had not seen any bad things from him during his service,” Mugazi says.