TOORO — Newly retained Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Hamstrong Rwomiire Akiiki has pledged to steer the Kingdom towards reconciliation, financial discipline and economic transformation after being reappointed by His Majesty King Edward Rukiidi Nyabongo I.
Accepting his renewed mandate, Rwomiire Akiiki said he views the appointment not as a personal entitlement but as a fresh call to serve the Omukama and the people of Tooro.
“I accept this responsibility with humility. I do not see it as a personal entitlement, but as a renewed call to service; service to the King and service to the people of Tooro,” he saidmin a statement through his X handle formerly Twitter.
The Prime Minister said his administration would build on the work of the previous team while confronting longstanding challenges affecting the Kingdom, including staff arrears, weak systems, youth unemployment, underutilisation of land and the need for stronger accountability.
He said he was deeply honoured by King Edward Rukiidi Nyabongo I’s decision to retain him and thanked the monarch for the confidence placed in him.
Rwomiire Akiiki also paid tribute to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, whose death, he said, marked the end of an important chapter in Tooro’s history but should not bring to a halt the programmes and aspirations he championed.
“We now have an opportunity to honour his memory by continuing his legacy, completing the work he started and building a stronger, more united and more prosperous Tooro,” he said.
Staff arrears, stronger systems top agenda
At the top of the new administration’s agenda is addressing accumulated staff arrears at Muchwa, which Rwomiire Akiiki said had built up over the years.
He said the Kingdom must find a sustainable solution to its obligations to staff while introducing systems that prevent similar financial problems from recurring.
The Premier also identified strengthening the Kingdom’s institutional systems and structures as a major priority, calling for clear policies, procedures and professional systems to guide its operations.
He said cultural norms, traditions and established ways of working must also be properly understood and respected as the Kingdom seeks to become more organised, professional and accountable.
Youth empowerment and land
Youth empowerment will occupy a central place in the administration’s development programme.
Rwomiire Akiiki said the Kingdom would prioritise completion of youth empowerment incubation hubs designed to provide skills, enterprise, agricultural and economic opportunities.
King Edward, he said, has agreed that the hubs should be treated as an immediate priority and is expected to visit and inaugurate them during his forthcoming Masaza visits.
The Premier also proposed exploring, with appropriate legal guidance and safeguards, ways of enabling young people to form associations and access Kingdom land through suitable lease arrangements for productive agriculture.
“If we organise our youth well, these associations can also become platforms for other areas of development beyond agriculture,” he said.
He said the initiative could create employment and income, increase agricultural production and help protect Kingdom land against encroachment and misuse.
Masaza to reconnect the King with his people
The administration will also place renewed emphasis on the Masaza, with Rwomiire Akiiki saying the Omukama must regularly interact with his subjects, listen to their concerns and understand their aspirations.
He said the Kingdom would organise and support the royal visits as a means of strengthening the relationship between the monarch and the people while enhancing the role of the Masaza in local development.
The administration will further engage the Ministry of Gender on ways of strengthening and facilitating the work of the Masaza, including issues of transport and welfare.
Agriculture, government partnerships and accountability
Agriculture is another major pillar of the new agenda.
Rwomiire Akiiki said the Kingdom would build on existing agricultural programmes while focusing on increased production, access to markets and value addition.
He said he had already engaged Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze, who had agreed to support the Kingdom with agricultural inputs, including seedlings and fertilisers.
The administration also plans to deepen cooperation with the Government of Uganda by engaging ministries, departments and agencies on areas where national and Kingdom development priorities can complement each other.
The Premier said potential areas of cooperation include youth empowerment, agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, tourism, cultural heritage and enterprise development.
He said strengthening agriculture, tourism and ICT could increase household incomes and purchasing power, enabling families to improve access to education, food and healthcare.
Financial discipline and accountability will form another cornerstone of the administration.
Rwomiire Akiiki said every programme must have clear responsibility, proper oversight and measurable results, with Kingdom resources used for their intended purposes.
“We must build a culture where commitments are followed by action, resources are used for their intended purpose and those given responsibility are accountable for what they deliver,” he said.
Masaza Cup and strategic plan
The Premier also pledged to complete the remaining Masaza Cup matches, describing sport as an important tool for bringing Tooro’s people together and giving young people a positive platform.
He further proposed that the Kingdom’s Strategic Plan be formally affirmed by the Omukama and used as a measurable framework for the administration’s work.
“The plan should not simply be a document, but a commitment that holds the administration accountable for delivery,” he said.
The Queen’s Girls for Girls mentorship initiative will also form part of the transition and wider programme of the administration.
Reconciliation: “Tooro needs healing”
But amid the ambitious development agenda, Rwomiire Akiiki identified reconciliation as perhaps the most important challenge facing the Kingdom.
“Tooro needs healing. Tooro needs peace. Tooro needs harmony,” he said.
He called on leaders, clans, institutions and ordinary citizens to put aside their differences and work towards a united Kingdom.
The Prime Minister also issued a personal apology over actions and decisions he acknowledged may have contributed to misunderstandings, particularly following the death of the late King Oyo.
“I acknowledge that, especially following the passing of Kabumba Omukama Oyo, I got some things wrong,” he said. “I take responsibility for my part in those matters and offer a clear and unreserved apology to those who were affected.”
With his reappointment now secured, Rwomiire Akiiki faces the task of turning the ten-point agenda into action while navigating the financial, institutional and political challenges confronting the Kingdom.
His message, however, was clear: the next chapter of Tooro’s leadership must be defined not only by continuity, but by reconciliation, accountability and tangible improvements in the lives of its people.
