Uganda: Museveni - Uganda Must 'Jealously' Guard Its Culture and Indigenous Knowledge

What the report says

President Yoweri Museveni used a cultural ceremony in western Uganda to pay tribute to the late Tooro monarch King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV and to welcome his successor, Nyabongo I. According to UG Diplomat’s report on AllAfrica, the remarks were made at Karuzika Palace in Kabarole District during the successor’s coronation. Museveni praised the late king’s service to Tooro and said traditional leaders should help strengthen cultural institutions and preserve indigenous knowledge.

The president said he had recently found a letter from King Oyo while reviewing documents after the monarch’s burial. He described the note as expressing appreciation for several issues affecting Tooro, including government appointments. Museveni also offered support to Nyabongo I, saying he had been following his public appearances and expected him to do well in the role.

Beyond the tribute, Museveni broadened his message to marriage, family life and public health. He argued that Uganda should place greater value on traditional social practices and said cultural leaders should help promote responsible family structures. He also linked cultural change to concerns about HIV in parts of western Uganda, while stressing that local languages, crafts, livestock traditions and other forms of indigenous knowledge remain important to national identity and long-term survival. As reported, his comments framed culture as part of both social order and heritage protection.