Meeting the youngest king

Paul Rwambangye Aruho

I have always seen him in newspaper photos and on Televisions. This graceful shy looking king , the world’s youngest king of the Tooro Kingdom , Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi the IV.

On his 12th coronation ceremony which was supposed to be held on 12 September, it was delayed for ten days and fell on 22 September. I don’t know what caused the delay but it was for my advantage as I wouldn’t have been able to see him for the first time. It coincided with the day when the then Uganda ’s Prime Minister Dr. Apollo Milton Obote abolished the three tribal kingdoms of Buganda , Ankole and Bunyoro and the chieftaincy of Busoga.

The ceremony started with a thanksgiving service in St. John’s Cathedral, Kabarole in Fort Portal Municipality which was presided over by the Rt. Rev. Benezeri T. Kisembo. I was very curious to steal a grips on this young man. I waited patiently up to the end of the service because I had come a bit late.

My prayers were answered. After the service, I stood at the end of the pew and made sure I ‘see’ him. But I didn’t envy him at all. I felt there is away how people around him, whom I late came to know as ‘abakumirizi’, step on his freedom. I really wondered if he has time for his own.

After the service, we proceeded for the main function at his palace, Karuzika. I was most annoyed by the king’s royal regalia, the so called the kingdom’s army. They looked very shabby and miserable compared to the master they serve. There was a handful of young boy of barely 8 years. They looked to me as if they don’t benefit from universal primary education. I really wondered in this 21 century I could meet people as shabby as they were.

The occasion was graced by His Ex. President Museveni. As he is among the guardians of the king, he was also supposed to go through some king of traditional rituals. He was taken inside the behind door and emerged dressed in a backcloth.

Looking at President Museveni’s face, he showed some jealous to this young ‘boy’, even if I was the one I would have. The scene I observed closely was when the chiefs were called to greet the king. Old men prostrating before this young boy made president Museveni at unusual look at the king. I later her some man saying, “the respect given to this young boy is envied by everyone even the president. No wonder president Obote abolished them in 1966,” a gentle man seated besides me whom I later knew to be Prof. Rugumayo said.

The youngest king has started to grow. Not like those years when he could be busy playing with balloons as the empango proceeds, he has now realized that he is an important person in the kingdom. He has started to develop the kingsh attitude. He just kept quite without a smile as people danced around him wanting to grab his attention.

To my amazement, I saw men doing most of the things, I myself would otherwise not have done. This made me conclude; thank God my king was never restored.