Tuesday, 9 July 2013

Tooro Kingdom in Talks With Anti-Kingdom Group

http://ugandaradionetwork.com/a/story.php?s=54288

Tooro Kingdom is in talks with leaders in Ntoroko district to end their negative stance to the kingdom.

Tensions between Tooro Kingdom and local leaders in Ntoroko district started last year in July when a group named, the Anti-Tooro Kingdom’s Interference in Butuku emerged, claiming that Ntoroko district isn’t part of Tooro. The group warned Tooro Kingdom against extending its cultural values and influence to Butuku.  At that time, the group protested King Oyo’s proposed visit to the area.

On Monday, a delegation of Tooro Kingdom officials led by Steven Kaliba, the Kingdom Premier, travelled to Ntoroko district and met some members of the group and pleaded with them to be part of the kingdom activities.

Vincent Haliri, the Tooro Kingdom information minister, told Uganda Radio Network that the visit to Ntoroko was aimed at addressing some of the concerns of the group. Haliri says that the delegation from the Kingdom was surprised by the sudden change in the leaders attitude and yet since time immemorial, they were paid allegiance to King Oyo.

He says that as part of the reconciliation, they plan to elect representatives from Ntoroko to be members of the Kingdom parliament, the Orukurato. Haliri also says that they also want to extend some of the Kingdom activities to Ntoroko like giving bursaries to needy children, promoting the granary project among others.

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Uganda Radio Network has established from some Kingdom sources that the visit by the kingdom premier was also to prepare ground for King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru’s visit to Ntoroko in early September, as part of the activities to celebrate his 20th coronation (Empango) anniversary.

In a telephone interview, Timothy Kyamanywa, the Ntoroko district LC V chairperson who is a member of the anti-kingdom group said he attended the meeting as a leader, but maintains that Ntoroko district is not being part of Tooro Kingdom.

Kyamanywa says that King Oyo is free to visit Ntoroko as an individual since he has relatives there and not as a King.  King Oyo’s mother Best Kemigisa is a Mutuku from Ntoroko.  He also says that the Batooro living are free to be elected members of the Kingdom parliament, but not the Batuku.

In a telephone interview, Kaliba says that the Kingdom will continue to hold talks with the group in a bid to invlove them in all kingdom activties.

Last year, Kyamanywa banned the Tooro Kingdom Anthem in the district. Kyamanywa said that by singing the Tooro Kingdom anthem, it meant that Ntoroko is part of the Kingdom yet it is not.

Last week, six head teachers in Ntoroko district face disciplinary action for allowing the Tooro Kingdom Anthem to be sang in their schools.

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