Tooro Kingdom will tomorrow September 7 (Saturday) mark its 18th coronation anniversary.
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi ascended to the throne in 1995, following the death of his father, Patrick Olimi Kaboyo to become the 12th ruler of the 180-year-old kingdom.
The celebrations are scheduled to take place at the royal palace in Fort Portal, Kabarole District, will be graced by President Yoweri Museveni and other dignitaries from abroad.
The kingdom of Toro, of the babiito dynasty, aptly claims its rightful origins in the ancient empire of Kitara. The first son of Omukama Kyebambe III of Bunyoro rebelled and annexed the southern part of his father’s kingdom, forming his own kingdom.
He placed the northern border of his new kingdom at River Muziizi. The kingdom of Toro was born, under the reign of Rukirabasaija Omukama Kaboyo Kasunsunkwanzi Olimi I.
Following the death of Omukama Kaboyo Olimi I, there followed several other kings and princes on the Toro throne. Some of them reigned for very short periods of time, during which they were still referred to as “Omubiito” (prince) , not by the right title of “Rukirabasaija Omukama”. When we include such princes, the number of batooro kings comes to 8.
The present Omukama is Rukirabasaija Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. A brief write up on each Omukama follows. It should be noted here that the numerical denotation of kings of Toro takes off from the list of Bunyoro kings, before Toro broke away. This is why, for instance, while there have been a total of two kings with the name Olimi on the Toro throne, Omukama Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi was Olimi VII.
