Today, His Majesty King Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I received a delegation from Mountains of the Moon University led by the Chancellor, Professor Edward Rugumayo Amooti, accompanied by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Pius Achanga Amooti, and the Chairman of the University Council, Engineer Dr Manyindo Akiiki. The meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between Tooro Kingdom and Mountains of the Moon University, with particular focus on the agreed deliverables and the practical steps required to move the partnership into implementation. This partnership presents significant opportunities to serve the people of Tooro and Uganda through education, research, agriculture, skills development, and other areas of mutual interest. It will also strengthen the Kingdom’s capacity to contribute meaningfully to community development while creating opportunities for our young people. Tooro Kingdom stands to benefit greatly from this partnership, which represents an important strategic opportunity under the leadership of His Majesty King Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Kingdom team that coordinated this partnership. The team will now take the lead in working with the University to ensure that the agreed deliverables are translated into tangible programmes and outcomes for our people. Tooro first. The Tooro we desire. @ObukamaBwaTooro @MMU_Uganda @Pius_Achanga

Today, together with colleagues from the Kingdom leadership, I had the honour of meeting with the Vice Chancellor of Mountains of the Moon University, @MMU_Uganda Professor Pius Amooti Achanga @Pius_Achanga and his team. Our discussions centred on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which provides a framework for deeper collaboration between the University and Tooro Kingdom in research, education and skills development, particularly in agriculture, tourism and environmental sciences. A key area of focus is expanding educational opportunities for the people of Tooro, including exploring scholarship opportunities for deserving and talented young people. We also discussed the University’s potential to support the Kingdom’s broader development agenda through research, environmental conservation, tourism development, community enterprise, cultural heritage preservation and community development. The opportunities that can come from this relationship are countless, and this partnership is long overdue. By bringing together the University’s knowledge and expertise with the Kingdom’s development priorities, we can create meaningful opportunities for our young people and contribute to a more prosperous and sustainable Tooro. I look forward to seeing this partnership move from commitment to action.

I am honoured to represent the Kingdom of Tooro and to visit a university that is a great source of pride for our Kingdom, providing quality tertiary education and creating valuable employment opportunities for our people. The opportunities that can arise from a stronger relationship between the Kingdom and the university are countless. This is a partnership whose time has truly come, and one that is long overdue. I look forward with great anticipation to being part of this historic occasion and to exploring how we can build a lasting relationship that benefits our people, our institutions and the wider Kingdom of Tooro.

MY STATEMENT TODAY First and foremost, I thank Almighty God for the gift of life, His grace and for His guidance. I am deeply humbled and honoured by the decision of His Majesty King Edward Rukiidi Nyabongo I to retain me as Prime Minister of the Tooro Kingdom. I thank His Majesty for the privilege, the honour and, most importantly, for the confidence and recognition he has placed in me. I accept this responsibility with humility. I do not see it as a personal entitlement, but as a renewed call to service; service to the King and service to the people of Tooro. I also wish to recognise and thank the team with whom I have had the privilege of working. We have worked through difficult circumstances, learned many lessons and, together, laid foundations upon which we can now build. I also pay tribute to the memory of our late King, His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. His passing brought an important chapter of our history to a close, but it must not bring an end to the work he began. I believe we now have an opportunity to honour his memory by continuing his legacy, completing the work he started and building a stronger, more united and more prosperous Tooro. I had the privilege of meeting His Majesty King Edward today and presenting to him the priorities that I believe we must address as an administration. I am grateful that His Majesty considered these priorities, agreed with them and instructed me to ensure that they are implemented. Our first priority is our people. We need to address the outstanding staff arrears at Muchwa that have accumulated over the years. Our staff keep the Kingdom functioning, and we must find a sustainable way of dealing with these obligations while putting better systems in place to prevent such problems from recurring. Our second priority is to strengthen the systems and structures of the Kingdom. We need clear policies, procedures and systems to guide how the Kingdom operates. We must also ensure that our cultural norms, traditions and established ways of working are properly understood and respected. This will give the Kingdom a stronger foundation and help us work in a more organised, professional and accountable way. Our third priority is to complete the youth empowerment incubation hubs. These hubs are intended to create opportunities for our young people and communities. We must ensure that they become productive centres for skills, enterprise, agriculture and economic opportunity. His Majesty has agreed that this should be an immediate priority and intends to visit and inaugurate the hubs during his forthcoming Masaza visits. Our fourth priority is the Masaza. His Majesty must be able to visit his people, meet them in their communities, listen to their concerns and understand their needs and aspirations. We will organise and support the Masaza visits as an important way of connecting the King with his people and strengthening the role of the Masaza in the development of the Kingdom. My administration will also engage with the Ministry of Gender to explore how we can strengthen these important roles and better facilitate their work, including their transport and welfare. Our fifth priority is our youth and the productive use of our land. Our people are our greatest asset, and our young people are the majority. Our land is also one of our greatest resources, yet much of it remains underused. I have therefore proposed to His Majesty that we explore, with the necessary legal advice and proper safeguards, how our young people can organise themselves into associations and access Kingdom land through appropriate lease arrangements for productive agriculture. This can create employment and income for our young people and communities, increase agricultural production and help protect Kingdom land from encroachment and misuse. If we organise our youth well, these associations can also become platforms for other areas of development beyond agriculture. 1/3