Fort Portal councillors propose renaming city

What the report says

Councillors in Fort Portal City Central Division are proposing that Fort Portal be renamed Tooro City, arguing that the current name does not reflect the area’s indigenous identity or cultural history. The idea was introduced by Clovis Kalenzi, the councillor representing Older Persons, during a council meeting at Kitumba Hall on October 30, according to The Independent Uganda.

Kalenzi said the city is closely tied to the Tooro Kingdom, which has long-standing cultural and administrative institutions in the area, and that a name change could better match that heritage. Other councillors, including Rose Kaliza Bakasara and Benard Ategeka, backed the general argument that the region should preserve and promote its local identity rather than continue using a colonial-era name. Elizabeth Kengonzi, the deputy mayor of Fort Portal Central Division, also said the change could help residents and visitors better understand the region’s history.

The report says supporters believe the switch could also strengthen tourism by highlighting the kingdom’s palace and headquarters. They added that changing the city’s name would not alter its development programmes or administrative structure. Bakasara said, however, that the idea is still only a motion and would need full council debate and public consultations before any decision is made.

The article also notes that Fort Portal takes its current name from Sir Gerald Portal, a British diplomat linked to the early colonial administration in Uganda. Fort Portal became a city in July 2020 as part of Uganda’s urbanisation programme.