24^th January 2011

Princess Mabel Komuntale of Toro has engaged a London law firm to begin legal action against British Security Services for persecuting her family. She talked to London-based Journalist Dr. Vincent Magombe about this unprecedented legal action, about the problems facing her Kingdom, and about the 2011 elections.

King Oyo of Toro Kingdom

Dr. Magombe: You are in the process of suing the British security services.  Why are you taking this extraordinary action?

Princess Komuntale: We have been subjected to horrendous persecution by British security services, which spilled from the Toro Royal feud.  We were attacked within our home.  The allegations had nothing to do with the police.  They were a civil matter.  Indeed they were suddenly dropped.  The security services have made it clear that their orders came from the top authority within the establishment.

Dr. Magombe: Could you elaborate more on this?

Princess Komuntale: My family has been tormented in grievous ways, including the death of Princess Royal, Queen Kezia, and Patrick Olimi III – the King of Toro.  As we speak now my youngest son is in a UK prison, and I strongly believe that all this is linked to the Toro Royal family feud.

Dr. Magombe: What do you think is the solution to these problems, which you say have been haunting your family since the death of your father, King George Kamurasi Rukidi III?

Princess Komuntale: I am calling for an investigation into the deaths, and I have now started legal action to sue British security services for my wrongful arrest and consequent imprisonment.  The UK security services would never treat any other Royal family the way they have treated us. That is why I believe that what is happening is linked to the tragic feud within the Toro Kingdom.

Dr. Magombe: How concerned are you about the state of affairs in the Kingdom of Toro?

Princess Komuntale: I am very concerned about the issues facing Batoro, which I am very much aware of.  These issues need to be properly addressed, and I don’t think that they are receiving the attention that they should.

Dr. Magombe: What are these issues?

Princess Komuntale: There are two main ones:  Land and the situation of the present King of Toro.

Dr. Magombe: Could you explain more about these problems?

Princess Komuntale: The Batoro are very worried about their King. The King is in a very difficult situation at the moment.  He has not been properly groomed to take on his Royal duties.  I don’t believe that those people who are running the Kingdom now are doing what is expected of them by the Batoro.  This leaves the Kingdom in a very precarious and unpredictable situation.

Dr. Magombe: And the land issue?

Princess Komuntale: Within the Toro Royal family, I was the first person to notice that there was a big land problem.  I expressed my concern about the defective arrangements that were being put in place for the administration of the land, warning that they would lead to serious problems.

Indeed, the land problems resulted in the tragic death of Prince Charles Happy Kijanangoma.  This is Batoro land, and to allow one person who does not know how this land came into existence to administer it is a very sad thing.  I understand that the land has now been sold to the tune of 2.4billion Shillings. It will be almost impossible to recover that money.

Dr. Magombe: Uganda is in the middle of election campaigns.  What do you think of it?  What are you telling Batoro people?

Princess Komuntale: As a member of the Royal household, I can’t order Batoro people to do one thing or another.  Me as a Princess, I know that Batoro can do without the Royal family, but the Royal family cannot do without Batoro.  It is within this context that I advise Batoro in this way:  The Batoro have got two options – to vote or not to vote in these elections.

Dr. Magombe: Do you have anything to say about the current plans by Uganda government to pass a new bill limiting the powers of traditional Kings?

Princess Komuntale: I think the government should allow the people’s will to prevail.  The people should be asked to say what type of King they want.  The government should listen and do what the people are telling it to do, not the other way round.

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