Gov't Starts Verification of Tooro Kingdom Properties

The government has started a verification exercise of Tooro Kingdom properties. This comes after President Museveni last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tooro King, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV to return the kingdom's properties.

Tooro kingdom is demanding its properties from the central government. The properties which include buildings and land are located in Kabarole, Kamwenge, Bundibugyo, Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa districts. Others are in Kasese and Bundibugyo, areas that were formerly under the Tooro Kingdom. 

On Tuesday, a team from the Ministry of Lands held a meeting with the Kingdom officials led by the Prime Minister Bernard Tungwako.

According to Tungwako, the verification exercise will help to know which land belonged to the kingdom, government and the public.

A source from the Ministry of Lands who attended the meeting but preferred anonymity says that the kingdom land department has been asked to submit documents which include files, land titles to the regional land zonal offices in Fort Portal to speed up the process.

Tungwako welcomed the exercise saying that it is a step closer for the kingdom to get back what belongs to them.

He also said that the kingdom has embarked on registration and issuing of leases to people occupying its land.  The move follows several cases of illegal evictions and conflicts on the land.

Tungwako says that issuing of titles is one way of ensuring security for those occupying the land and also helps the kingdom ascertain how many people are using the land and who they are.

Last year, in a meeting to launch the joint verification committee between Government and Tooro kingdom, the Prime Minister of Uganda Dr Ruhakana Rugunda said that the government may compensate the Kingdom for the buildings and land that government institutions are occupying.

The districts of Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Bunyangabu currently use the Kingdom buildings to host their Sub County and County headquarters. Some of the buildings are also being occupied by schools and health facilities.

Some buildings have also been turned into military installations such as the newly created UPDF Mountain Division at Muhooti Barracks in Kabarole District.