Prime
Council members protest Kiyingi's appointment as new Tooro Kingdom premier
The newly appointed Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, Mr Steven Kiyinji. PHOTO | ALEX ASHABA
What you need to know:
- Mr Musiime alleges that the new premier is neither a mutooro nor a Ugandan, saying that the King would have selected from aborigines of Tooro
The Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council which is the highest organ of the cultural institution were on Friday afternoon left divided after a section of the members rejected the newly appointed premier, Mr Steven Kiyingi.
Mr Kiyingi was appointed by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV to replace Mr Bernard Tungwako who on August 20 stepped down from his position after serving the institution for 7 years.
During the Supreme Council meeting on Friday afternoon at Muchwa in Fort Portal, a section of council members objected to Kiyingi’s appointment saying he is non-mutooro.
“Our constitutional rights as members of Supreme Council have been violated. The procedure of approving the Prime Minister has not been followed because articles 27 and 28 of our constitution give the King the powers to appoint and the council approves him which was not done. We shall not accept,” Mr Charles Musiime, council member noted.
This was after the council speaker Eng Julius Mwirumubi just announced the appointment of Mr Kiyingi and the decision was final.
Mr Musiime alleges that the new premier is neither a mutooro nor a Ugandan, saying that the King would have selected from aborigines of Tooro.
“The speaker objected to our guidance during our Supreme Council meeting. We did not approve the new Prime Minister, he only allowed his people to speak,” he told the Monitor.
Mr Rusoke Bunagi Atwooki, the representative of the Basiita clan to the Supreme Council, said they will not accept the newly appointed premier because the council did not approve him.
“If the King does not change his mind soon and replace him, the Kingdom will be divided. We shall go back to what caused the Bakonzo to break away from Tooro Kingdom to form Rwenzuru Kingdom,” he claimed.
The newly appointed premier was sworn in later at Karuziika palace a few hours after the council meeting in the presence of the King Oyo and some members of Supreme Council. He is deputised by Ms Harriet Nyakake and Kwemara Ngabu as second and third deputy prime ministers respectively
The King tasked Mr Kiyingi to work hand in hand with other committees in the place to start organizing this year 27th coronation anniversary slated for September 12.
“I am directing the new prime minister to work with committees to organize a successful coronation anniversary. I want him to also work with all committees to ensure that they implement the Kingdom 25-year development plan,” he said.
The development plan aims at preserving and protecting the heritage of Tooro, empowering the youth with skills, poverty eradication, promotion of health, and promoting tourism among others.
“I thank the King for appointing me to serve as the new prime minister. Those who are saying that I am a non-mutooro, it’s a lie. I am a born resident of Tooro, they should not look at my colour, we need unity if we are to transform Tooro,” Mr Kiyingi remarked.
Background
Mr Kiyingi went to Kabarole Primary School, Bugema Adventist SS, and Tala High school where he completed his A’ level. He went to Daystar University in Kenya where he obtained a diploma in Mass Communication and later joined Spicer Adventist University in India where he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce.
He previously served as a director in the office of the president, and from 2012 to 2019, he worked as a member of Uganda High Commission in Dar es Salaam Tanzania, and DR Congo.
Tooro Kingdom with King Oyo at the helm has had nine prime ministers.
They include; John Sanyu Katuramu, Steven Nyabongo Rwakijuma, David Rusa, Steven Irumba, William Nyakatura, Dr Apollo Karugaba, Amos Mugisa, Steven Kaliba and Bernard Tungwako and now Steven Kiyingi.
