The government of Uganda has agreed to return all the Tooro Kingdom assets after over 50 years since after they were confiscated during the abolition of kingdoms in 1967 by President Obote.
While meeting President Museveni at State House Entebbe yesterday, a Tooro delegation led by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government for the consequent return of the said assets.
Speaking during the majorly private event, Museveni said that the decision to return Tooro kingdom assets was done at a consultative level because the properties were not necessarily cultural but administrative centers.
Museveni thanked the King for his efforts in protecting the environment and reducing HIV/AIDS prevalence amongst the youth.
“I’m very happy that His highness is interested in the environment. God made the swamp. If you invade it, you are killing yourself. When the religious leaders and the cultural leaders persuade the people to leave them, it makes our work easier,” he said.
“I’m glad that his highness has taken up the issue of AIDS which has been killing many including Tooro. The prevalence was 12 percent but I hear it’s coming down now.”
The Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister, Bernard Tungakwo welcomed the move by the president, saying the delay by the government to return the properties had affected it financially.
Present during the meeting were; Tooro Kingdom Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa; the Prime Minister, Bernard Tungakwo; the Kingdom Lands Minister, Polly Kateeba and other top kingdom officials.
The Kingdom reportedly demands 103 land titles from the government. The initial missing land titles were 120, but only 17 have so far been returned.
These claim that some of the land owned by the kingdom is being occupied by Uganda Prisons, Railways Corporation as well as Kasese District Council
