King Oyo's Six-Day Fast and Museveni's Mocking Response Over Tooro Assets

In July 2014, the young King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro Kingdom initiated a week-long fast as a solemn protest against the perceived division of his ancestral lands. This action was a direct response to the government’s formal recognition of two new cultural institutions, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu and Obudhingiya Bwa Bwamba, in areas historically belonging to Tooro before the 1967 abolition of traditional kingdoms.

Tooro Kingdom officials viewed the establishment of these new institutions as an encroachment on their traditional territory. President Yoweri Museveni, who had served as one of King Oyo’s guardians since his ascension to the throne, had also attended the installation ceremony for the King of Bamba, which Tooro perceived as a provocative endorsement of the territorial division.

In response, Tooro’s then-Premier, Dr. Stephen Kaliba, announced King Oyo’s intention to fast. The protest was also intended to highlight the delayed return of kingdom assets that had been confiscated decades prior. On July 14, 2014, King Oyo commenced his fast at Karuziika Palace, inviting his subjects and religious leaders to join him, emphasizing that “a king does not fast alone.”

While the King engaged in prayer and reflection, President Museveni publicly downplayed the protest. He remarked to journalists that the fast would be physically beneficial for the young monarch, suggesting it would help him “shape up and be healthy.” This statement was met with significant anger within the Tooro community, who saw it as a disrespectful trivialization of their kingdom’s grievances regarding territorial integrity and ancestral property.

Protests erupted in Fort Portal, leading to police intervention, teargas, and arrests. Tooro Kingdom officials demanded an apology, feeling their concerns had been belittled. Although King Oyo completed his fast, the core issues remained unresolved. The new cultural institutions persisted, and the matter of kingdom assets continued to be a point of contention, with progress remaining slow even years later. This confrontation marked a notable period of tension between the Tooro monarchy and the central government during Oyo’s reign, though their personal relationship, bolstered by Museveni’s guardianship role, endured.

https://observer.ug/news/when-king-oyo-fasted-for-6-days-as-museveni-mocked-his-protest-over-assets