Museveni, King Oyo discuss Tooro Kingdom assets and tourism expansion
President Museveni poses for a photo with Tooro King Oyo (left) and Queen mother Best Kemigisa (right) at the State Lodge Fort in Portal City on May 16, 2025. PHOTO/PPU
What you need to know:
- A key topic during the meeting was the long-standing issue of the return of Tooro Kingdom properties that were seized in 1967 under President Obote’s regime.
On Friday, President Museveni held a closed-door meeting with a delegation from the Tooro Kingdom, led by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The delegation included prominent kingdom officials, notably the Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and the Kingdom premier, Mr Calvin Rwomire Armstrong.
The meeting took place at the State Lodge in Fort Portal City, during the President’s tour of the Tooro Sub-region to assess the Parish Development Model (PDM) programme.
Shortly after the meeting, the President confirmed the engagement via his official X handle, noting that the discussions centred on boosting tourism in the kingdom and the wider sub-region.
“We discussed constructing a stadium in Fort Portal and expanding the aerodrome into an airport to enhance tourism,” he said.
"Additionally, we agreed to address land issues with the kingdom and work towards establishing common ground for peaceful coexistence between the local government and the kingdom,” President Museveni posted.
A key topic during the meeting was the long-standing issue of the return of Tooro Kingdom properties that were seized when traditional kingdoms were abolished in 1967 under President Obote's regime.
President Museveni reiterated the government's commitment to returning the properties, stating that the process would proceed upon the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government.
President Museveni, who has been the cultural guardian (crown bearer) of King Oyo since his enthronement in 1995 following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, emphasised the importance of supporting cultural institutions.
This latest meeting comes as King Oyo prepares to celebrate 30 years on the throne on September 12.
King Oyo confirmed that the issue of kingdom property was discussed and noted that the matter has been pending since 2019, when a MoU was initially signed with the government.
He also highlighted other key issues, including the revival of plans for Tooro Kingdom to co-host the World Monarchs Summit scheduled for 2026.
Regarding the proposed new stadium, King Oyo stated via his X handle:
“I informed His Excellency and the First Lady of my contribution of land for the construction of a modern stadium in Fort Portal. This initiative will enable the kingdom to capitalise on opportunities associated with hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).”
Looking ahead to his coronation anniversary celebrations, King Oyo confirmed that President Museveni will attend this year's Empango (coronation anniversary).
The last time President Museveni attended King Oyo's coronation anniversary was in 2010, when the monarch turned 18 years, marking the end of the regency period that began with his enthronement at the age of three in 1995.
In an interview on Saturday, the Tooro Kingdom premier, Mr Rwomire, expressed frustration over the government's delay in returning kingdom properties.
He stated that the prolonged wait since the restoration of kingdoms in 1993 has made the Tooro Kingdom appear like “beggars” in the eyes of the public.
He explained that, over the years, the kingdom has operated without a formal budget, instead relying on development partners to fund key initiatives, including the recently launched Masaza Cup, which for the last three years has been sponsored by MTN Uganda.
“We have been working without a budget. We have used the limited resources we have and managed to implement successful projects. We have relied entirely on partners for all these years. Before the kingdoms were abolished, we used to generate income from our properties.
We hope that once the government returns these properties, we will become financially self-reliant and stop begging,” he added.
Mr Rwomire said some of the assets are now located in areas under newly created cultural institutions such as the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu in Kasese District and the Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba in Bundibugyo District.
He added that in such cases, where the properties now fall under other cultural institutions, the government should consider compensating the Tooro Kingdom financially.
He further revealed that many of the properties in question are currently occupied by district local governments within Tooro, yet no rent or compensation has ever been paid to the kingdom.
In some cases, he said, district authorities have gone ahead to process land titles in their names, despite the fact that the land legally belongs to the kingdom.
“The government under President Museveni signed a MoU with the kingdom in 2019, but to date, we haven’t received any of our properties.
We’ve had multiple engagements with the government. However, with the President's renewed assurance, we are optimistic.
Next week, I will convene meetings with all district leaders within the kingdom to brief them on the President’s latest communication,” he said.
He explained that despite this challenge, the institution has maintained a strong partnership with the government to effectively implement various programmes, including malaria immunisation and Ebola sensitisation, where kingdom structures have been utilised to raise awareness.
Mr Rwomire said besides King Oyo offering 50 acres of land for the construction of the stadium, he had also provided an additional 50 acres for the establishment of a youth academy.
He said the land is located within Fort Portal City, adding that they are now awaiting the government to initiate a feasibility study and commence construction.
