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Princess Bagaya hits back at man claiming to be King Oyo’s brother
The King of Tooro Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru while meeting students of Tailoring during the tour of Tooro Education Concern Program at Mucwa Complex recently. In set is 32- year-old Saul Livingstone Mpuuga who claims to be his elder brother. Photo by Geoffrey Mutegeki.
What you need to know:
Princess Bagaya of Tooro Kingdom has rejected claims by one, Saul Livingstone Mpuuga as brother to King Oyo, saying the former has plans of contesting for the Kingship.
KABAROLE
Princess Elizabeth Bagaya of Tooro has finally broken silence on the 32-year-old man who claims to be King Oyo’s elder brother, saying the claims are false. Mr Saul Livingstone Mpuuga caught public eye late last year when he claimed that he was the eldest son of the late Omukama Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II.
Mr Mpuuga said his late mother, Joyce Rubuga, met Kaboyo at the King’s palace where she worked as a maid. Consequently, in April, Mpuuga was recognised by members of the Tooro royal family at the home of Professor Edward Rugumayo in Fort Portal. But Ms Bagaya, the daughter of the former King of Tooro, Sir George Rukidi and elder sister to Kaboyo, says that Mpuuga has plans of contesting for the Kingship. She says that Mpuuga’s actions are suspicious, because he has been introducing himself at public functions as the brother of King Oyo.
The speaker of the Kingdom Parliament Mr John Byamukama and other members of the Orukurato (Kingdom parliament) on Thursday told Bagaya not to raise the matter in the meeting but Bagaya refused, saying that she has the authority to speak on anything that threatens Tooro Kingdom.
“We don’t know Mpuuga”
“If I keep quiet who else can talk about it? Kaboyo had three children only, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale and the late Princess Celia Komukyeya, who died in 1997 at the age of four so we don’t know Mpuuga,” Ms Bagaya said.
Ms Bagaya added that some sections of people in the kingdom, whom she did not reveal, are promoting Mr Mpuuga, with an aim of contesting for the Kingship. When contacted, Mpuuga denied contesting for the Tooro throne, saying all he wants is to be reunited with his relatives. “I do not want to contest for Kingship. From the start I have been wanting to be recognised which was done, but now am surprised to hear this (from Bagaya),” Mpuuga said. “She (Bagaya) is aware that I am the son of Kaboyo, but she doesn’t want me to come close to my brother King Oyo.”
Asked why it had taken him long to disclose that he is Kaboyo’s son, Mpuuga, who is a hair dresser and owns a saloon in Fort Portal Town, said that he always wanted to go the palace but his friends and relatives of his mother refused, saying that he would be harmed. Mr David Isagara, the secretary of the Babiito clan said that Mpuuga was already recognised by the clan.
Bagaya’s comments come at a time when members of the royal clan are mobilising resources to have Mpuuga sent back to school next year. Until Mpuuga’s claims, Oyo and his two sisters were the only known children of Omukama Kaboyo who died in August 1995.
Oyo’s elder sister, Ruth Nsemere Komuntale lives in the US while his young sister, Cecilia Komukyeya died in October 1997 aged four. Mpuuga’s claims have already generated debate in the Kingdom with several radio stations dashing to get his side of the story.
