Coronation day: Toro Kingdom in high gear

The youthful King Oyo welcomes President Museveni to his palace. PHOTO/PPU
 

By Rogers Sunday in Kabarole

FORT PORTAL - It is the day of the 18^th coronation (Empango) of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi the 4^th and as expected, the vibe is high in the entire Toro kingdom.

The celebrations are slated to start later in the day at exactly 3.00pm at the king’s palace at Karuzika in the south division, Fort Portal municipality.

King Oyo welcomed President Yoweri Museveni at his palace on Friday.

President Museveni arrives at the Toro Kingdom Palace. PHOTO/PPU

The president, who is expected to attend the big day, addressed several African queens that are in the country for the African Queens and Women Cultural Leaders’ Network (AQWCLN) conference.

Earlier this week, Museveni officiated at the opening of the conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.

The president later addressed African queens attending the AQWCLN conference. PHOTO/Kennedy Oryema

The conference is co-hosted by the Nabagereka of Buganda Kingdom Sylvia Nagginda and Toro Kingdom’s Queen Mother, Akiiki Best Kemigisa.

Meanwhile, security is tight at the palace, and within and around the western Uganda town as dignitaries started to arrive ahead of today’s event.

. . .  and he then cut the cake with the queens of the continent. PHOTO/PPU

On Friday, the palace was engulfed in a bee-hive of activities as organisers paced up and down putting things in place – pitching tents and planting public address systems all over the venue.

The youthful King Oyo dedicated this year’s coronation anniversary to the youth in his monarchy under the theme “Youth and development in Toro kingdom”.

Toro youth take part in a traditional proceeding on the eve of the big day. PHOTO/Sunday Rogers

“We want the youths in Toro to fully understand the meaning of Empango because for years they have been just watching from a distance” Charles Kamurasi, the head of the Babito royal clan told New Vision.

Over 2000 subjects and well-wishers of the blossoming king are expected to attend the event today, according to the Prime Minister Steven Kaliba.

A series of activities including tree planting, a health camp, health and nutrition fair among others have taken place in the kingdom ahead of Empango.

The senior women in the kingdom were also part of the pre-Empango activities.

Empango is a celebration that marks the day when King Oyo was enthroned at the age of three following the death of his late father Patrick Olimi Kaboyo in 1995.

However tradition has it that all the former kings of Toro are still living although dead.