King Oyo of Tooro has accepted to meet members of the kingdom clan council to resolve the conflicts in the kingdom.
Oyo returned from the United Kingdom over the weekend, where he is pursuing his studies to celebrate his 15th coronation anniversary.
The clan council members have for long demanded to meet Oyo, to address the conflicts in the kingdom, but in vain. Richard Baguma, Tooro kingdom regent says that Oyo will meet the council members in two weeks time at the kingdom palace in Fort Portal town.
Baguma also says that Oyo has appointed four members who will be part of the meeting with the clan members. He however refused to divulge the names of the members. Elijah Mpunga, the secretary of the clan council says that the clan council has received a letter from the office of the regency, inviting them for the meeting with Oyo.
He says that they are eagerly waiting to meet the king and have highlighted issues that they want Oyo to address. Mpunga says that Oyo should dissolve the kingdom parliament and cabinet and appoint new members who should be approved by the supreme council
He also says that the kingdom parliament (Orukurato) should appoint members who should be in-charge of managing kingdom properties like land and finances. Mpunga says that if the demands are addressed, the clan council will withdraw the court case they filed against Oyo.
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But Steven Nyamutale, a member of the clan council says that he is skeptical Oyo will meet the members. Nyamutale says that some officials may block the meeting like they did last year. In December 2010, Oyo had planned to meet the clan council members, but the meeting was called off at the last minute after it was allegedly blocked by some kingdom officials.
Oyo’s meeting with the clan council members has come at a time when the coronation anniversary, the major cultural event in the kingdom hangs in balance because of lack of funds. It follows a high court injunction freezing the accounts of Tooro Kingdom. The coronation anniversary will be Oyo’s first since he assumed full authority to administer his kingdom.
