Tooro Inter-religious Council calls for calm, unity
The council said the succession process should be allowed to take its course, expressing confidence that the transition would preserve the continuity of the Tooro Crown— a principle the late King had himself assured his subjects.
Flags flying at half-mast as the nation mourns the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)
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The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda-Tooro Chapter has called for calm, unity and respect for tradition as Tooro Kingdom begins the process of identifying the rightful heir to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
In a condolence message signed by the council’s chairperson, Rt. Rev. Robert K. Muhiirwa, the council said the succession process should be allowed to take its course, expressing confidence that the transition would preserve the continuity of the Tooro Crown— a principle the late King had himself assured his subjects.
“We join the call for calm and unity as the Kingdom observes its traditions in identifying the rightful heir, trusting that this transition will honour the continuity that His Majesty (King Oyo) assured,” the council said in their message dated August 31, 2026.
The Inter-religious council’s appeal comes at a sensitive moment for the Kingdom as the death of King Oyo has opened a new chapter in Tooro’s history and attention turns to the traditional processes governing succession.
In the statement, the Council said King Oyo’s reign was characterised by an inclusive approach to people of different faiths, describing him as a monarch who respected the diversity of religious communities in the Kingdom.
“As leaders drawn from Tooro's diverse faith traditions, we honour a monarch who dedicated his reign to the King of Kings and treated every religious community with equal respect, never allowing difference to divide the people he served,” the statement said.
According to the council, the late King’s respect for different religious traditions helped strengthen social cohesion and provided a foundation for interfaith cooperation in the Kingdom.
“That spirit of inclusion strengthened harmony across the Kingdom and gave our work of inter-faith cooperation a firm ground to stand on,” the religious leaders said.
The religious leaders remembered the late King for championing causes they said reflected his concern for the welfare and future of his people.
Among the areas highlighted were service delivery, environmental conservation, tourism, education and the promotion of stronger families.
“We remember with gratitude his advocacy for service delivery, his commitment to environmental protection, his promotion of tourism, and his consistent call for mindset change, strong families, and education among the youth,” the statement said.
The council described these initiatives as “the marks of a shepherd's concern for his people,” portraying King Oyo’s reign as one in which cultural leadership was accompanied by concern for the broader social and economic wellbeing of Tooro.
King Oyo, who became Omukama as a child at 3 years, died after 31 years on the throne.