Governance
The King of Tooro
| 1822 : Kingdom of Tooro 1880 – 1891 : Incorporated into Bunyoro-Kitara. 14 Aug 1891 : Kingdom of Tooro restored. 30 Jun 1896 : Tooro a British protectorate. 1893 – 1894 : Incorporated into Bunyoro-Kitara. 1894 : Kingdom of Tooro restored. 26 Jun 1900 : Tooro a British protectorate. 9 Oct 1962-8 Sep 1967 : Tooro a federal state of Uganda. 8 Sep 1967 : Kingdom abolished. 24 Jul 1993 : Kingdom of Tooro (restored). |
The Batooro had a centralized system of Government. Toro had until1830 been a part of Bunyoro. In 1830, Prince Kaboyo declared Toro independent of Bunyoro and organized it into another Kingdom.
At the head of the Kingdom was a king known as Omukama, the first being Kaboyo Kansunsunkwanzi, the actual founder of the Kingdom.
The King was hereditary and he had to be from the Babiito dynasty. He was assisted b a hierarchy of chiefs and a standing army.
As a constitutional monarch, the King of Tooro is the guardian of culture and customs. In order to administer the kingdom, the king is traditionally assisted by the parliament (Orukurato) and by the Royal Trinity composed of: The Queen Mother (Namasole); the Princes Royal (Batebe), and the Head of the Royal Clan (Musuga).
Picture 18: Hierarchy of the Ministerial Government, Kingdom of Toro
The Prime Minister has various ministers, deputies and county (Saza) chiefs, and other chiefs and clan leaders up to the village level.
The Prime Minister called Omuhikirwa is the head of the Kingdom administration. Toro kingdom has had 25 prime ministers since its establishment. See Section below
The Prime Minister
| PERIOD | NAME | BORN | DIED |
| Dec 1891 – 1894 | Yaheti Byakuyamba | ||
| 1894 – 1898 | Yoswa Rusoke | ||
| 1898 – 1914 | Nasanari Mugurusi | ||
| 1914 – 1923 | Mikairi Rusoke | ||
| 1923 – 1924 | Nasanairi Mayanja | 1924 | |
| 1924 – May 1926 | Rauli Kiwanuka | ||
| May 1926 – 1934 | Yosia Sewali | ||
| 1934 | Omukama Rukidi III | ||
| 1934 – 1941 | Yosam Mbaijama | ||
| 1941 – 1946 | Marko Kaboha | 1946 | |
| 1946 – 1958 | Hosea Nkojo | 1905 | 1979 |
| 1958 – 1962 | Samson Ruburwa Rusoke | 1911 | 1984 |
| 1962 – 1967 | Samson Ruburwa Rusoke | ||
| 1967 – 1993 | Post abolished | ||
| 1993 – 21 Jun 2000 | John Sanyu Katuramu | ||
| Jul 2000 – 5 Jan 2001 | Zaverio Byabagambi (acting) | ||
| 5 Jan 2001 – 2 Dec 2006 | Stephen Nyabongo Rwakijuma (acting to 18 Nov 2001) | ||
| 2 Dec 2006 – 25 Mar 2008 | Steven Irumba | ||
| 25 Mar 2008 – 16 Oct 2010 | William Nyakatura (acting to 26 Apr 2008) | 1937 | 2013 |
| Oct 2010 – Dec 2012 | Shem Rubare (acting) | ||
| 31 Dec 2010 – 2011 | Apollo Karugaba | ||
| 2011 – 21 Apr 2013 | Amos Mugisa | ||
| 21 Apr 2013 – 19 Jun 2015 | Steven Kaliba | ||
| 19 Jun 2015 – 20 Aug 2022 | Bernard Tungwaho Ateenyi | 1953 | |
| 26 Aug 2022 – | Steven Kayingi |
The Parliament of Tooro
The Parliament of Tooro Kingdom is representative, and parliamentarians are carefully selected from every clan in the Kingdom, and hence, the term, the parliament of seventy (70) representatives otherwise called “Orukurato Orwensanju”.
The administration of the Tooro Parliament is located at Mucwa complex. See photo below.
Mucwa complex
Mucwa also houses the kingdom administration and is less than one mile from Kabarole Palace (Karuzika), the official residence for the King.
Kabarole Palace (Karuzika), the official residence for the King
It is important to note that the county of Mwenge was of particular importance to the Kingdom. It contained a school of political education when Toro was still part of Bunyoro. When Toro broke away from Bunyoro, Mwenge maintained its function. The sons of the Kings were sent to Mwenge to learn the art and the language of government. It is said that there were also special tutors for the king’s daughters. When the King’s wives were about to give birth, they would be sent to Mwenge. Rebellious princes were also sent to a school in mwenge and it is perhaps because of the political and social importance of Mwenge that no war was fought in Mwenge.
The Toro Kingdom suffered the same fate as Bunyoro, Buganda and Ankole with the event of republican in 1967. However, the institution of Omukama was reinstated in 1993 albeit without its former political and administrative powers. Omukama Olimi Kaboyo was installed as the fifth Omukama of Toro. He reigns as the cultural head of the Batooro.