Museveni gifts new Tooro King Nyabongo 100 Ankole longhorn cattle

17.7 C Kampala FacebookInstagramLinkedinX Home Latest Politics World Africa Regional Opinions Our Take Money Games & Sports Arts Gossip Health Travel Entertainment Magazine Search Home Latest Politics World Africa Regional Opinions Our Take Money Games & Sports Arts Gossip Health Travel Entertainment Magazine Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account your username your password Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password your email A password will be e-mailed to you. Museveni gifts new Tooro King Nyabongo 100 Ankole longhorn cattle By Simon Kabayo September 29, 2026 Share FacebookXPinterestWhatsApp President Yoweri Museveni and the newly enthroned Omukama of Tooro, His Majesty Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. Must read STAY IN YOUR LANE: PLU warns Presidential Advisor Namyalo over endorsing Museveni for 2031 race September 29, 2026 Court challenge puts Tooro Coronation under legal cloud September 28, 2026 Moses Matovu murder suspect remanded to Luzira till November September 28, 2026 Uganda exports to Italy hit Shs2.8t as coffee dominates trade September 28, 2026 Simon Kabayohttps://eagle.co.ugReporter whose work is detailed President Yoweri Museveni has gifted the newly enthroned Omukama of Tooro, His Majesty Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, 100 heads of Ankole longhorn cattle as he begins his reign over the Tooro Kingdom.

The gift was presented to Nyabongo during his coronation at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, where Museveni attended as the chief guest.

The 100 cattle were among the highlights of Museveni’s appearance at the historic ceremony, which marked the formal enthronement of Nyabongo following the death of his predecessor, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, on August 27.

Museveni congratulated the new king and recalled watching him during his earlier career as a television journalist before he entered the royal succession.

“I want to congratulate His Highness Nyabongo. I have been watching him read the news as a good newsreader in English, so I am sure he will do a good job in this,” Museveni said.

Nyabongo, formerly Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, was selected by the Babiito Royal Clan to succeed Oyo and was subsequently endorsed by the Rukurato Rw’Obukama Bwa Tooro, the kingdom’s supreme council.

Before ascending the throne, Nyabongo worked as a journalist, news anchor and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. He holds a Bachelor of Mass Communication degree from Makerere University, which he obtained in 1999.

His journey from television newsrooms to the royal palace was one of the notable features of Tuesday’s coronation, with international media including Reuters and Associated Press highlighting his former career as a television news anchor.

The coronation came just over a month after the death of Oyo, who became king in 1995 at the age of three and went on to reign for more than three decades.

Museveni used the occasion to pay tribute to the late king, saying he had discovered a letter Oyo had written to him on June 15, 2026, only after the young monarch had died.

“I want to salute the memory of King Oyo for the wonderful work he did when he was king here,” Museveni said.

The President said he was deeply saddened when he found the letter among his documents shortly after Oyo’s burial.

“I was very sad because on the day after he was buried here I was going through my documents and I found a letter he had written to me on the 15th of June 2026. I found it on the day after he was buried. I was very, very sad,” he said.

Museveni also used his address to call for the preservation of Uganda’s indigenous cultures and languages, saying traditional institutions have a role to play in preserving values, customs and indigenous knowledge.

“Traditions have a key role to play in protecting the indigenous values and traditions, our languages and science. Historically the culture of families had a very comprehensive code. We have had very thorough systems that are not as shallow as the Europeans ones. There was nothing that was not addressed,” Museveni said.

The President’s presence at Karuziika Palace was also notable because it came amid a succession dispute that emerged after Oyo’s death.

The Babiito Royal Clan selected Nyabongo as the successor, while Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Princess Ruth Komuntale have maintained that the late king left behind a son who should have been considered in the succession process.

The royal clan has maintained that the alleged heir was not formally known to it when the succession decision was made. The dispute generated considerable public debate before the Tooro Supreme Council endorsed Nyabongo and preparations for his coronation proceeded. The Attorney General subsequently cleared the kingdom to continue with the enthronement after no formal appeal had been registered in court.

Nyabongo used his first address as king to acknowledge the difficult period that followed Oyo’s death and reached out to members of the royal family, including the Queen Mother.

“I commiserate with Queen Mother, Best Kamigisa Akiiki for the challenging time you went through. May the Lord grant Amooti Oyo eternal peace,” Nyabongo said.

He also thanked Museveni and the government for supporting the kingdom during the transition.

“I thank the president for all he did for our kingdom which I cannot fully list. I especially thank him for being with us and the help he granted us toward this event,” he said.

The new king said his reign would be centred on serving the people of Tooro, promoting development and preserving the kingdom’s cultural heritage while respecting the constitutional limits governing traditional institutions.

“The kingdom of Tooro belongs to the people and must work for the people of Tooro. The constitution of Uganda bars traditional kingdoms from crossing into government affairs. Therefore the Kingdom of Tooro must not segregate people based on religion, or other aspects,” Nyabongo said.

He pledged to encourage Batooro to participate in government programmes aimed at improving household incomes and reducing poverty, while also protecting forests, wetlands and other natural resources.

“The kingdom must guide and show people how to well to follow and utilise government programs especially those concerning development, income generation and fighting household poverty; preserving the culture, our forests and wetlands, rivers and others,” he said.

Nyabongo also spoke about education and employment, particularly for young people who have completed university.

“We shall ensure that our children who have finished university are employed and those who need further studies will be supported,” he said.

He further pledged to work with other traditional institutions, religious leaders, elders and the different clans of Tooro as he begins his reign.

“We shall work with other kingdoms just like our fathers and forefathers did. We shall work with religious leaders, elders and the clans of Tooro,” Nyabongo said.

He ended his maiden address with an invitation to the people of Tooro to participate in building the kingdom.

“Karuziika is open, come let us build Tooro,” he said.

The coronation followed a series of traditional rituals that began the previous night and continued into Tuesday, marking Nyabongo’s transition from a royal prince to the Omukama. Reports from the ceremony said the traditional rites included a symbolic procession and other customary practices before the public enthronement at Karuziika Palace.

For Museveni, the presentation of the 100 Ankole longhorn cattle added a traditional dimension to a ceremony that brought together the central government, the Tooro royal family, cultural leaders and thousands of Batooro.

The cattle gift came as Nyabongo formally assumed the throne after a succession process that followed the death of Oyo and weeks of uncertainty over who would lead the kingdom.

With Nyabongo now enthroned, the new Omukama has called on his subjects to put the succession contest behind them and join him in developing Tooro, preserving its traditions and protecting its cultural and natural heritage.

The ceremony therefore closed one chapter in Tooro’s royal history while opening another under a king whose journey to the throne took him from the newsroom to Karuziika Palace.

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