One month after ascending the throne of Tooro Kingdom, Omukama (King) Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I has embarked on a series of engagements aimed at reconnecting the palace with his subjects, strengthening cultural institutions, and outlining his vision for the kingdom.
Since his coronation on September 29, 2026, as the 15th ruler of Tooro Kingdom, following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, Nyabongo I has held meetings with government officials, religious leaders, members of the royal family, cultural leaders and other stakeholders.
His first month has also been characterised by public appearances, visits to places of worship, and administrative decisions to shape the direction of his reign.
On October 29, the king marked one month on the throne, having already undertaken several engagements, including opening the Kingdom Supreme Council, locally known as Orukurato, on October 27.
The King has also named and confirmed key members of his royal establishment, including Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, Bateebe Ms Ochora Grace Kiijanangoma and Deputy Musuuga Mr Kato Rwakatale.
The government had earlier formally recognised his kingship through a gazette issued on October 16. Nyabongo received the gazette on October 22 from the State Minister for Gender and Culture, Ms Mary Kamuli Kuteesa.
A reign anchored on development and cultural preservation
In his maiden speech during the coronation ceremony, in the presence of President Yoweri Museveni, Nyabongo outlined a reign focused on complementing government development programmes, promoting social values and mobilising communities to improve their livelihoods.
He acknowledged that although the Constitution does not allow cultural institutions to assume government administrative responsibilities, Tooro Kingdom has an important role in guiding its people, preserving cultural values and helping communities benefit from government programmes.
‘As a kingdom, we have a big role to preserve our culture of Tooro, our norms and traditions, and how our people conduct themselves in public. The kingdom also has another responsibility to advise all those concerned about the goodness of our people,’ he said.
He pledged to use the kingdom’s structures to sensitise communities about government programmes, particularly those intended to improve household incomes and fight poverty.
One day after his coronation, on October 1, Nyabongo launched the measles-rubella vaccination exercise at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City, urging parents and guardians to ensure their children receive the vaccines.
He said protecting children’s health was essential to building a healthy kingdom and nation.
Religious outreach and concerns about social values
One of the defining features of Nyabongo’s first month has been his engagement with religious institutions across Tooro.
He has attended prayers organised by different religious denominations, including the Anglican, Catholic, Muslim, Seventh-day Adventist and Pentecostal communities.
During these engagements, his messages have largely centred on responsible parenting, HIV/AIDS prevention, cultural preservation, unity and the need to nurture children into responsible citizens.
At Virika Cathedral on October 18, the king expressed concern about what he described as declining parental responsibility in raising children and passing on cultural values.
He said statistics presented to him indicated that some children were out of school, teenage pregnancies remained a concern, while some boys were engaging in marijuana and other drug use.
‘Parents, I am asking you to let us go back to see that we nurture our children on traditional values; we teach them our Tooro culture. For us, when we were growing up, those bad cultures that our children are embracing were not there; even when they were there, they were at a low rate. People would not hear them,’ he said.
Nyabongo also expressed concern about HIV/AIDS prevalence in Fort Portal, describing the statistics presented to him as worrying.
He called on parents and religious leaders to intensify education among young people about the dangers of early sexual activity and encourage them to make responsible decisions.
‘Let our young people avoid sexual acts because those behaviours are where AIDS comes from; it’s bad to see young girls; for them, they fear getting pregnant; other than getting HIV/AIDs, it pains a lot. You should fear both of them. Let us teach and nurture our child as they grow to be patient until the rightful time,’ he said.
Cancer treatment facility among development pledges
Beyond cultural and social concerns, Nyabongo I has also made development commitments, including a pledge to establish a cancer treatment facility in Tooro, saying the facility would be constructed in memory of his predecessor, the late Omukama Oyo, and would be named King Oyo.
Omukama Nyabongo I, in his last address to his subjects, said he has organized a birthday run, where he will be marking 57 years on December 19, with funds raised expected to support the establishment of the cancer treatment facility.
“Oyo died of cancer, and his cousin and as a kingdom we are organizing birthday run for Omuakama on 19th December and all the money from that run will go towards the establishment of cancer institute, and urge you all who can make to come and run, support to see our cause of cancer institute has been realized,” He said.
The Bishop of Fort Portal Catholic Diocese, Robert K. Muhiirwa, during the church prayers at Virika, asked Omukama to use his influence to rally government support for a specialised cancer treatment facility in Tooro.
‘Let us talk one voice, not be disunited as you [King] have been talking; if we all speak one voice over this issue, it will become easy for us, but if we take different paths, it will be hard. I request that you use your authority and we collaborate to see what we want [cancer facility] to become a reality,’ Bishop Muhiirwa said.
On October 7, Nyabongo opened the 16th annual Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Civil Society Organisations Forum in Fort Portal City, where he pledged to use the kingdom’s cultural structures to mobilise communities towards improved sanitation, protection of water sources and climate change response.
‘The kingdom’s cultural structures are powerful tools for community mobilisation. We will use them to support your work, to encourage our people to adopt good hygiene practices and to protect our natural resources,’ he said.
Sports and youth development
On October 24, he presided over the finals of the fifth edition of the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Cup, held at Kichwamba Technical College playground.
He handed over the trophy to Burahya County and a dummy cheque of Shs 15 million, which defeated Mwenge South 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
The king also handed over the trophy and cash prizes at the second edition of the kingdom’s netball competition, which was won by Mwenge South.
He assured his subjects that discussions with the tournament’s main sponsor, MTN, were ongoing to sustain its support and potentially increase funding in subsequent editions.
He further revealed that the kingdom was exploring possibilities of expanding the competition beyond football and netball to accommodate more sporting disciplines, giving young people wider opportunities to showcase their talents.
Meetings with royal family and other stakeholders
Deputy Musuuga Kato Rwakatale says the king has held several meetings since his coronation, engaging different groups, including government ministries, individuals and clan leaders, both within and outside Tooro.
One of the latest engagements was a meeting with Isaazi ly’Abantu Bakuru ba Tooro on Thursday, October 29. The delegation was led by the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, retired Colonel Tom Butiime.
Another significant engagement was a meeting with members of the Babiito royal clan on October 22, chaired by Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi.
During the meeting, Nyabongo pledged to work closely with the royal clan and seek its advice before making key decisions, acknowledging that a king cannot reign alone without the support and guidance of his family.
He particularly recognised the experience and contribution of senior members of the clan, including Musuuga Charles Kamurasi.
Administrative reforms and accountability
On the administrative front, Nyabongo moved quickly after his coronation to establish an advisory team of 11 members and appoint Calvin Armstrong Rwomwire Akiiki as acting Prime Minister for a six-month transition period.
However, during the opening of the first Kingdom Supreme Council sitting on October 27, the king directed the acting Prime Minister to present an accountability report detailing the kingdom’s activities, achievements and outstanding matters.
He gave Rwomiire until November 12 to submit the report to the Supreme Council for scrutiny.
The council will then have seven days to examine the report and submit its findings to the king before November 19. The king’s office will also take seven days to review the findings before an extraordinary Supreme Council meeting scheduled for November 27, when he is expected to announce the way forward.
‘That is the reason why I appointed Calvin Armstrong as acting Prime Minister, to help manage the transition period. His appointment was not meant to start a new administration during this period. Now, I want a report from the acting Prime Minister detailing what has been done and what has not been done,’ he said.
He said the accountability process would help the kingdom establish its current position and determine priorities under the new administration.
He added that his reign would promote accountability to the people, government and development partners.
Subjects express optimism
A month into his reign, some subjects say they are already seeing a difference in the way the palace relates to ordinary people.
Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi said Nyabongo had demonstrated goodwill towards his subjects, particularly through what he described as an open-door policy that allows people to access the palace and hold discussions with the king.
He said several people had also visited the palace to present gifts in appreciation of the new king’s leadership.
‘Omukama, what I have seen with him is that he has goodwill for his people, and what I can predict is that the future of Tooro under his reign is good; he is a leader, he wants unity, and that is what the Batooro want,’ Kamurasi said.
He described the kingdom as undergoing fundamental change, adding that the king’s participation in prayers across different religious institutions demonstrated his commitment to God and respect for different faiths.
Another person, who requested anonymity, said discussions with the king had convinced him that Nyabongo had several development projects in the pipeline that could benefit the kingdom if implemented.
‘This time we have a mature king who has reasoning beyond most of us, his approach to things is different, and he has many plans for the kingdom. If what we discussed is implemented, everyone in Tooro will benefit, and I have seen many people visiting him,’ he said.
Mr Asiimwe Asaph, a resident of Fort Portal City, said he had not witnessed such enthusiasm among the Batooro in the past 30 years as he had seen following Nyabongo’s installation.
He attributed the excitement to what he described as improved access to the king, saying people could now visit the palace, meet him and discuss issues affecting them.
‘For the first time, people visit the palace and find him there. I have not heard anyone complaining that he has not seen the king. People have taken pictures and held discussions with him. This is the king we all wanted, not a king who does not want to give people the time he is leading,’ Asiimwe said.
He also commended the king for respecting different religious denominations and using religious platforms to address issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention, responsible parenting and teenage pregnancy.