Tooro prince Kijanangoma declares peace with King Oyo
Prince David Kijanangoma (R) and his brother King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru (L).
What you need to know:
- Clashes. In 2012, Prince Kijanangoma started getting actively involved in the kingdom affairs. In 2013, he started a move to overthrow his cousin, accusing him of incompetence.
- A section of senior royal family members and some Batooro rallied behind him.
- In March 2015, Prince Kijanangoma was arrested and charged with criminal trespass with an intention to overthrow his brother. This created disunity among members of the Tooro royal family.
KABAROLE. Prince David Kijanangoma on February 12 posted on his Facebook page that he had made peace with his brother.
“I declare peace with my brother King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, so help us God,” read the Facebook post.
When asked to give more details about their said reconciliation at the weekend, Prince Kijanangoma promised to release a full statement.
In 2015, Prince Kijanangoma accused the Tooro King of disregarding Tooro culture and elders, selling kingdom property, total breakdown of the institutions of the kingdom and abdication of the throne. He then vowed never to dialogue with Oyo and at one time threatened to dislodge him.
His statement has, however, triggered mixed reaction from sections of the public in Tooro. While some welcomed the reconciliation move, others accused him of having been bribed, an allegation he dismissed as untrue.
A human rights activist and director Twerwaneho listeners’ club, Mr Gerald Kankya, said the struggle to liberate Tooro is still on.
“Day by day, we record success. Kijanangoma’s abandoning the struggle didn’t come yesterday. It came way back in 2016. That marked his exit from the struggle. We remained focused and still focused,” Mr Kankya said.
“The struggle is still ongoing and making peace is part of the civilised manner of the struggle. I have realised that some people have achieved their individual motives through our controversies rather than struggling to liberate Tooro together,” he said.
According to Prince Kijanangoma, his struggle was meant to ensure Tooro gains its lost glory not fighting to achieve individual motives.
However, Prince Kijanangoma says there have been some reforms for the good of the kingdom. He said the king can now spend some quality time with his subjects, land grabbing is not as rampant and that the king can now take independent decisions. He also said the remaining task is uniting the people of Tooro through working together as a kingdom and mending fences.
He, however, said accountability of the management of the kingdom property is still a challenge.
The Tooro Kingdom deputy information minister, Mr Vincent Mugume, says Mr Kijanangoma made a mature decision and there is need to put previous quarrels aside and build Tooro.
