By Jamillah Kemigisa
Fort Portal, Tooro—A wave of public outrage has swept through Tooro Kingdom following a request from the royal administration asking each subject to contribute UGX 1,000 towards the renovation of the Royal Tombs. Critics have responded sharply, accusing the kingdom’s leadership of corruption, embezzlement, mismanagement of ancestral wealth, and lack of transparency.
During a press conference in Fort Portal, veteran journalist and proud subject of Tooro, Andrew Irumba, the President of Online Journalists Association Uganda (Indoja-U) dubbed CEO of Spy Uganda, condemned the fundraising appeal, calling it “disrespectful and shameful.” He urged the Batooro not to contribute, citing a history of exclusion from the kingdom’s inheritance.
“Our kings left behind land, properties, and shares in places like Kilembe Mines. But this wealth has been squandered by King Oyo, his mother and a few Babiito clan members,” Irumba asserted. “Why should the common people fund tombs renovations while being cut off from the kingdom’s assets? Don’t give a coin!”
Irumba invoked the legacy of a former Tooro monarch who famously said, “I brought this kingdom from the mouth of the lion.” The same king reportedly once warned that a monarch who “sleeps on the throne” should be removed—a historical reference Irumba used to highlight growing discontent with the current leadership.
Irumba also revealed that when Kilembe mines money was received from Government, some of the children of George Rukiidi were never given their share. “Princess Mabel Komuntale proposed that part of the money from the Kilembe mines money should go to renovation of all the royal tombs. These greedy barbarians refused to the idea. They infact, instead refused to pay her share. she’s actually ordered her Lawyer Fred Mukasa Mbidde to take them to court,” Irumba revealed.
Joram Bintamanya, a well-known political leader in Fort Portal City, also criticized the initiative. He described the UGX 1,000 levy as “a slap in the face of the poor,” especially given past incidents of alleged financial impropriety.
“Not long ago, the government compensated the kingdom with UGX 2 billion. That money quietly disappeared into a personal account,” Bintamanya claimed. “Now they are asking the poor to contribute for tombs? It’s unacceptable.”
He further alleged the clandestine sale of key kingdom assets, including the Tam Teco Tea Estate, Rukidi Secondary School, and a hostel opposite Kabarole Hospital, which he said had been transferred to King Oyo’s name. “What kind of leadership sells its heritage and then begs from its people?” he questioned.
Bintamanya also took issue with the kingdom’s anthem. “It glorifies the king for giving land, but ignores the people. I no longer sing it—it doesn’t represent us.”
Activist Anthony Babs Kasaija, known for his 2014 protest march to Kampala demanding the return of Tooro’s lost assets such as the Katwe Salt Mines and Kilembe Mines, echoed the frustration. He accused the kingdom of misusing previous government compensation funds for personal luxury instead of investing in communal development.
“Now they return asking for tombs money? Even I haven’t built my own father’s grave,” Kasaija said.
While emphasizing that his critique was not aimed at the monarchy itself, Kasaija blamed “the thieves surrounding it,” lamenting the replacement of wise elders with superficial image-focused personalities. He also criticized recent royal conduct, including the king sitting cross-legged during official functions, as symbolic of a growing detachment from cultural norms and the people.
The three leaders issued a joint call for a boycott of the fundraising effort. They urged Batooro to withhold contributions, demand accountability, and boycott royal events until the kingdom provides a full account of how its wealth has been used. They also called on citizens to stop singing the kingdom anthem in protest.
The trio appealed to Prime Minister Steven Kiyingi Armstrong, urging him to lead with integrity and resist being used by palace insiders. “This is not an absolute monarch—it is a constitutional one,” Bintamanya emphasized. “Tooro belongs to all of us. The voices of the people must be heard.”
Their collective message was clear: “Don’t give a coin until the kingdom comes clean.”
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