The spokesperson of the Inzu Ya Masaaba has told The Ankole Times that when it comes to matters of succession, such as the ongoing dispute over the Tooro throne, the law takes centre stage in determining who succeeds a departed sovereign.
“I fully associate myself with the position and guidance from Government on those wrangling over the throne to follow the guidance and any precedents put forward by the Learned Attorney General,” he said.
According to the spokesperson, disputants over the Tooro throne can only turn to customs and cultural norms for guidance after fully exhausting the procedures provided for under written law.
He said the will and customs surrounding the enthronement of the Omukama of Tooro should be interpreted and applied together with the law, rather than treating customary practices as overriding statutory requirements.
“Customs on their own give a clue on how leadership can be handled, but they must be read concurrently with the law,” he explained.
He further noted that the Government has a role in recognising and gazetting cultural leaders after ensuring that the appropriate customary and legal procedures have been followed.
He observed that cultural institutions have, at times, placed less emphasis on the importance of gazettement of cultural leaders, despite its significance under the law.
Under Article 246 of the Constitution of Uganda, a traditional or cultural leader is required to meet the relevant customary and statutory requirements before being recognised and gazetted by the Government.
The spokesperson also revealed that the Bugisu cultural institution recently dispatched a cultural delegation to Tooro, where the delegation was warmly received by members of the Royal Family and the Tooro cultural institution.
He said the delegation delivered and read a message from the Bugisu cultural institution as part of its engagement with the Tooro Kingdom during the ongoing succession discussions.
