Tooro kingdom (obukama bwa Tooro) is the traditional monarchy of the BaTooro people of Uganda. It was formed in 1830 when Omukama Kaboyo Olimi I, the eldest son of Omukama Nyamutukura Kyebambe III of Bunyoro, seceded and established his own independent kingdom. It is quite a popular kingdom having produced the youngest king of the world in 1995, King Oyo Rukidi IV and the most prominent woman in Uganda, Princess royal Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki. The official residence of the King is Kyabazinga Tooro royal palace at Fort Portal.
Tooro Royal Titles
- King – Omukama (actual meaning is Milkman)
- Queen – Omugo (Wife of Omukama), Omugo also used by wives of princes
- Chief Prince – Omusuga, installed with the king during coronation
- Princess Royal/Chief Princess – Batebe /Rubuga, installed with the king during coronation
- Queen Mother (King’s mother) – Omujwera Omugo nyina Omukama
- Prince – Omubiito
- Princess – Omubiitokati
- Prime minister – Omuhikirwa
- Parliament – Orukurato
- Tooro Kingdom – Obukama bwa Tooro
Abakama(Kings) of Tooro
- 1 Omukama Olimi I – reigned from 1822–1865. He rebelled against his father King of Bunyoro Kitara and established his own kingdom at Kaboyo
- 2 Omukama Ruhaga – reigned from 1865–1866
- 3 Omukama Nyaika Kyebambe I – reigned from 1866–1872
- 4 Omukama Rukidi I – reigned from 1871
- 5 Omukama Olimi II – reigned from 1872–1875
- 6 Omukama Rukidi II – reigned from 1875–1875
- 7 Omukama Rububi Kyebambe II– reigned from 1875 and 1877–1879
- 8 Omukama Kakende Nyamuyonjo – reigned from 1875–1876 and 1879–1880
- 9 Omukama Katera– reigned from 1876–1877
- Interregnum, reverted to Bunyoro- reigned from 1880–1891
- 10 Omukama Kyebambe III– reigned from 1891–1928
- 11 Omukama Rukidi III– reigned from 1929–1965
- 12 Omukama Olimi III– reigned from 1965-1995
- 1967–1993 (monarchies abolished by Milton Obote and reinstated in 1993 by Yoweri Museveni)
- 13 Omukama Rukidi IV– reigned from 1995
Omukama Daudi Kasagama Kyebambe III
He was the first photographed King of Tooro and ruled from 1891 until his death in 1928. He was the tenth (10th) Omukama of Tooro. He was the eldest surviving son of Rukirabasaija Nyaika Mukabirere Olimi II, the fifth (5th) Omukama of Tooro. His mother was Victoria Kahinju. In 1875, following the death of his father, he fled with his mother and two brothers to Ankole. While there, his two elder brothers were murdered on the orders of the Queen Mother of Ankole, one by the name of Kiboga. He then took refuge in Buganda. He signed a Treaty with the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) and was proclaimed at Kabarole, Karuzika by Lord Lugard, August 14, 1891. He was installed as Omukama of Toro on August 16, 1891
- Wives
- 11 wives but when he converted to Christianity he reputdiated all of them except his 11th and favorite wife Omugo Adyeri Damali Tibaitwa who he married on the 4 May 1896 at St John’s Cathedral Kabarole
- Children
- King Omukama George Rukiidi III
- Princess Royal Akiiki Ruth Komuntale Batebe/Rubuga
- Musuga(chief prince)Kesi Kagoro
- princess Amooti Jeruline Mpanja
- Princess Akiiki Juliana Komubaizi
- Princess Adyeeri Beatrice Kabasweka
- Princes Adyeeri Fred Rweru
- Princess Evasta Masamba
- Princess Abwooli Agnes Bagaya
- Prince Adyeeri Solomon Okwiri
- Princess Abwooli Victoria Komukyeya
- Prince Akiiki J. B Rwakatale
- Prince Atwooki Daniel Ogene
- Prince Akiiki Charles Kimome
- Prince Araali Switzer Rwaboni Kaijomurubi
Photos; Tribe Tooro
Omukama George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III
Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III was Omukama (King) of Tooro Kingdom from 1928 until 1965. He was the eleventh (11th) Omukama of Toro. He was the eldest son of Rukirabasaija Daudi Kasagama Kyebambe III, the tenth Omukama of Toro, who reigned between 1891 and 1928. He attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of UK. He died at the Karuzika Royal Palace, Kabarole, on 21 December 1965. He was buried at Karambi royal tombs Gasani, Tooro
- Wives
- Omugo Kezia Byanjeru Bonabana later Omugo nyina Omukama(Queen mother)
- Omugo Evelyn Kahinju (Omugo wa Harukoto)
- Omugo Abwooli
- Princess Leah Ngaju
- Omugo Akiiki Katukura
- Children
- Prince Stephen Edgar Paul Karamagi
- Prince Ruyonga,
- Prince Emanuel Erasmus Ishagara
- King Omukama Patrick David Matthew Koboyo Olimi III
- Prince Nyaika
- Prince James Mugenyi Muzimanuki was one of the regents to Rukidi IV
- Prince Muhangura
- Prince Gilbert Mujogya
- Princess Getrude Kabege
- Princess Elizabeth Christobel Edith Bagaaya served as as Batebe/Rubuga to her brother Olimi III
- Princess Mabel Komuntale
- Princess Joy
- Princess Rachel Kabasweka
- Princess Rosemary Kijumba Balinda
- Princess Damali Komukyeya
- Princess Kijumba Kabaramagi
- Princess Elizabeth Mpanja Ndahendekire
- Princess Agnes Nkwenge
- Prince Apollo Loyd Mugema
- Prince Gerald Philip Manyindo
- Prince Bazil Mirembe
- Princess Lucy Makulima Matama
- Princess Magaret Komubaizi – assistant Batebe
Photos; Tribe Tooro
Omukama Olimi III Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III
Omukama Patrick Kaboyo III was the fourth (4th) son of Rukirabasaija Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, Omukama of Tooro, who reigned from 1928 until 1965. His mother was Lady Byanjeru Kezia Bonabana. He ascended to the throne upon the death of his father, on 21 December 1965. He was crowned at St John’s Cathedral, Kabarole, on 2 March 1966 with his sister Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki installed as his Batebe. He reigned briefly before monarchies were abolished on September 22, 1967. After a period of exile in Kenya, he came back and served as a minister-counsellor at Uganda’s Embassy in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, between 1987 and 1990. In 1987, he married Best Kemigisa, daughter of Prince Mujungu of Butuku. He was Uganda’s Ambassador to Cuba, from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, he returned to Tooro to take up his throne after the Government restored monarchies and traditional rulers. He died on August 26, 1995, at the age of 50, leaving the throne to his three-year-old son, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
- Queen Best Kemigisa (married 1987)
- Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale
- King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV
- Late Princess Celia Komukyeya
Photos; Tribe Tooro
King (Omukama) Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV
Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV is the reigning monarch of the Tooro Kingdom of BaTooro people of Uganda. King Oyo Rukidi IV was born on 16th April 1992 to late King Patrick Olimi III and Queen mother Best Kemigisa Olimi. King Patrick Olimi III died in 1995 leaving the throne to be succeeded by his young son.
The three year old was crowned Omukama (King) of Tooro in 1995 at karuziika royal palace at Fort Portal city. He became the world’s youngest King surpassing the previous record holder King Mswati III of Eswatini. See coronation Link – Coronation of King Oyo
King Oyo Rukidi IV ruled under regency of his uncle Prince James Mugenyi, aunt Princess Elizabeth Akiiki Bagaaya and guardianship of mother Queen Best Kemigisa. Despite being a traditional monarch, King Oyo has brought alot of economic and development changes around his kingdom.
Photos; Courtesy
Queen mother Best Kemigisa
Queen Best Kemigisa Akiiki is the current Queen mother of Tooro Kingdom in Uganda. She is the wife of late HM King/Omukama Olimi III who died in 1995 and the mother of HM King/Omukama Oyo Rukidi IV of Tooro Kingdom, Uganda who become monarch at a young age of 3. Her daughter is HRH Princess Ruth Komuntale.
See Link – Queen Best Kemigisa
Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale
Princess Ruth Komuntale is the eldest child of late King Patrick Olimi III and Queen mother Best Kemigisa Olimi. She also serves as Batebe/Princess Coheir/advisor to her brother. She is married to Mr Phillip Anthony, a Jamaican IT engineer and dj.
See link – Royal wedding of Princess Ruth Komuntale
Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki
Princess Batebe Elizabeth Christobel Edith Bagaaya Akiiki is a royal princess (Omubiitokati) of Tooro Kingdom, Uganda and Tooros most famous Batebe(Princess coheir advisor) to her brother. She has been termed Africa’s princess and Uganda’s most prominent woman due to her many acomplishments.
See link – Princess Elizabeth Bagaaya Akiiki
Coronation
coronation Link – Coronation of King Oyo
Tooro Royal Crowns and Tiaras
Link – Tooro Crowns and Tiaras
Tooro Royal Palaces
- Karuziika Royal Palace – is Tooro kingdom official palace (Ekikaali) located on Nyamunyaka Hill at Fort portal city. It is open to the public except on royal occassions. The palace at Fort portal was destroyed by Idi Amin and his forces in 1970s but was renovated with assistance from Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. There are also other 6 smaller palaces that were used by former kings around the kingdom.
- Rwengoma Palace – built in 1909 by Omukama Kyebambe for his mother Victoria Kahinju. His daughter Batebe Princess Ruth Komuntale nurtured the fututre Omukama Olimi III here
- Kabahango Palace – built by omukama Rukidi III for one of his wives in 1928
- Munyonyo Palace – The King’s private residence is at Kampala.
Karuziika official palace
Munyonyo palace, Kabahango Palace and Rwengoma palace, Photo by CCFU NGO
Royal sites to visit
- Karuziika Royal Palace – located in Fort Portal
- Karambi Royal Tombs at Hagasani – burial grounds for the last 3 Kings of Tooro
#ThrowbackThursday
— Ruhima Jonah (@JonahRuhima) August 12, 2021
The coronation of Rukirabasaija Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III. He was Omukama (King) of Tooro Kingdom from 1928 until 1965. He was the 11th Omukama of Toro. He was the eldest son of Rukirabasaija Daudi Kasagama Kyebambe III, the 10th Omukama of pic.twitter.com/OJ5DfxWAEx
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