The Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has commended His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of the Tooro for being a role model to the youth and the people of his kingdom.

Speaking at the 28th coronation anniversary of King Oyo held at the Karuzika Hill, Fort Portal City, Tayebwa praised the king for protecting the traditional values of Africa.
“I want to thank you for being a role model to the youth and the kingdom. Now young people know they can fight AIDS because of you. They know they can protect the environment because of you. I have seen you are planning to plant over 10 million trees, Parliament pledges support. We are going to support you so that you can achieve this,” the Deputy Speaker said.

Tayebwa said he will personally join the Tooro Kingdom on his birthday to support his dream of planting 10 million trees to save the environment.

He urged King Oyo to help his people move out of poverty through commercial agriculture. This he said will help to create a sustainable kingdom.

Quoting the 2022 Global Wealth Report by Credit Suisse, Tayebwa said that income inequality in the world is alarming with the latest figures indicating that 52.5 per cent of the world population now own less than 1.25 per cent of the global wealth.

“It’s a time bomb. We have to work hard to overcome this. Your Majesty, we know if we work with you, the Parish Development Model will help to reduce this kind of income inequality,” he said.

Tayebwa said land fragmentation in the Tooro has hindered government efforts to overcome poverty through modern agricultural projects.

He urged the king and his leadership to sensitise the people against land fragmentation saying the practice, rampant among the predominantly agriculture-dependent communities, threatens food security and is a source of poverty.

“Land fragmentation is a big problem, if not well addressed, it is the source of poverty,” Tayebwa said.

He also said the government has completed the process of establishing an industrial park in the Tooro Kingdom.

King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV ascended to the throne after the death of his father, King David Patrick Olimi Kaboyo, making him the youngest ruling monarch in the whole world.

King Oyo explained the Kingdom’s 25-year development plan to transform the livelihood of his subjects.

Key among the priorities, King Oyo listed HIV/AIDS eradication, education through youth skilling, commercial agriculture, and kingdom land titling.