Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has said his Ministry and the Attorney General are yet to advise President Yoweri Museveni on the disputes surrounding the Tooro succession following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
“I have just returned from Fort Portal; we buried King Oyo, but the conflict there is untouchable. Me, as the minister who oversees the constitution, I will coordinate with the Attorney General and advise the President,” Mr Mao said on Sunday evening.
He called for calm among the Tooro Kingdom, the Royal family and Ugandans, noting that the process of enthroning a King is not over until the name is included in the national gazette.
“But I want to strengthen everyone; everyone must follow the law, and also enthroning any King does not end until their name is put in the national gazette. If your name is not yet in the gazette that you are the king of a certain place, it means that you didn’t fulfil the process of a King’s enthronement.”
Following the death of King Oyo on August 27, 2026, at 34, and burial on September 12th, the Tooro Kingdom has witnessed a series of drama and tension. Prince Edward Rukidi Kiijanangoma was later declared King Edward Rukidi Nabongo I, drawing protests from the immediate Royal Family, Queen Mother Best Kemigisha and Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, who described the pronouncement as inaccurate.
Addressing wider national issues on Gulu City-based government-affiliated Mega FM radio station, Mr Mao explained: “Enthroning a King is guided by a specific cultural tradition, but where there is dispute, the law is very clear: when there is conflict, that conflict must first be resolved before you are included in the gazette.”
He called for calm, saying: “So people should stop exchanging a lot of words; what is important is that we have the law that is very clear.”
Mr Mao did not specify when his Ministry and the Attorney General would meet President Museveni, but noted that the process was on course.
Expressing the matter idiomatically, Mr Mao said: “If you find a road that indicates keep left, when you get an accident from the right, should your case be debated, you should be taken to prison right away, before keep left means you must be left.”
Give it agood sounding tittle with name mao in the title and tooro kingdom as well it should be impressive
