Bishop cautions King Oyo against owning Kingdom property

Tooro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese Rt. Rev. Reuben Kisembo has advised the King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV to rescind his intention to own premises hosting Sarah Medical Clinic in Fort Portal town.

This follows a legal notice issued by Akampurira and Partners Advocates indicating that the premises were transferred from the Kingdom into the names of Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru as an individual as of 21, December 2018.

According to that notice, the tenancy agreement between Sarah Medical Clinic and the Kingdom expired in June 2019. The King then asked the occupants to vacate the premises and pave way for the construction of a specialized health facility on the same property.

In a communication addressed to the Kingdom Premier Bernard Tungwako and Lands Minister Polly Kateeba, the Bishop noted that regardless of the good intentions of the ownership, the development is likely to bring disharmony between the King and his subjects.

Bishop Kisembo says that although Tooro subjects are not against the modern facility, they are opposing the conversion of the ownership of Kingdom property by an individual who also happens to be a custodian of the same property. He says subjects are disturbed by the process and now questioning the spirit under which the ownership was transferred.

“My personal assessment from what I have read and heard from the media is that this is the cause of the current conflict,” part of the statement read.

Bishop Kisembo called upon the Kingdom officials and the advisors of the King to convince him to withdraw his intention to own the piece of land but rather go ahead and establish such a facility as a property of the people of Tooro Kingdom.

With the Tooro Kingdom slated to host the first-ever World Monarchs Summit in September, Bishop Kisembo urges that any differences might create a bad gesture to the visitors. “This emerging land wrangle is likely to bring disharmony and acrimony between the king and his subjects,” he added.

The Kingdom spokesperson Charles Mwanguhya Mpagi last week told URN that since the national constitution guarantees the right of all Ugandans to own property, the same constitution doesn’t dictate from who and whom, the property can be transferred. Mwanguhya said that on the basis of this, King Oyo is free to acquire any property in Tooro as an individual.

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URN