The late Tooro King, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, leaves behind a legacy of development initiatives spanning agriculture, youth empowerment, education, health, sports, tourism, and environmental conservation after 31 years on the Tooro throne.
King Oyo died on August 27 at the age of 34 while receiving treatment in the United States. He ascended the throne in 1995 at the age of three following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, making him one of the world’s youngest monarchs at the time.
Throughout his reign, youth empowerment became one of the key areas of his development agenda, with agriculture featuring prominently in efforts to improve livelihoods. In 2025, the Tooro Kingdom launched a youth empowerment programme through which young people were supported with coffee and cocoa seedlings, while incubation centres were established to provide practical skills in agriculture and entrepreneurship.
The kingdom established incubation centres in Kyaka and Mwenge counties, with plans to extend the programme to other parts of the kingdom. Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomire Akiiki said the programme was intended to equip young people with practical skills and agricultural opportunities.
King Oyo also promoted agriculture through the King Oyo Model Farm in Bugaaki, Kyenjojo District, which was established as a demonstration farm where farmers could learn modern farming practices. The farm has coffee and banana plantations, poultry, goats, and cattle.
The King repeatedly encouraged young people to engage in agriculture, even while pursuing other careers, arguing that farming could provide an additional source of income.
Vincent Mugume, the Tooro Kingdom spokesperson, said the King’s development agenda also included equipping young people with digital skills. An ICT hub was established at the kingdom headquarters in Muchwa to train young people in computer studies and other digital skills.
Health was another area that featured prominently during King Oyo’s reign. Through the annual Empango celebrations, the kingdom organised medical camps that provided free medical services to members of the public. The King paid particular attention to orthopaedic medical camps for children born with physical deformities, where beneficiaries received free corrective surgeries as part of activities marking his birthday.
Dr Tito Beyeza, the Tooro Kingdom Minister of Health, said King Oyo was particularly passionate about children’s wellbeing because he himself became a monarch while still a child.
King Oyo was also involved in efforts to fight HIV/AIDS and was appointed a UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador, using his influence to promote campaigns aimed at ending HIV/AIDS, particularly among young people. He also launched the construction of the King Oyo Children’s Hospital in Kyenjojo District to provide specialised treatment for children suffering from various illnesses.
The hospital project was still under development at the time of his death. In education, the King used the Tooro Kingdom scholarship programme to support bright but needy students to access secondary, university and other higher education. Ronald Mutegeki, the Tooro Kingdom Minister of Education, said more than 300 students had benefited from the kingdom’s scholarship programme in 2026. Sports and youth talent development were also part of King Oyo’s agenda.
He promoted football and netball through the Tooro Masaza and clan tournaments, giving young people opportunities to develop their sporting talents. Michael Wandera, the Kingdom Sports Minister, described King Oyo as a passionate lover of sports who was committed to nurturing youth talent. In March, the King offered 50 acres of his private land to the government for the construction of a modern stadium in Fort Portal.
Prime Minister Rwomire said the land was voluntarily offered by the King to support sports development and youth empowerment. Environmental conservation was another major cause during King Oyo’s reign. In 2019, he launched the Save River Mpanga campaign, mobilising communities to protect the river and its tributaries from degradation.
He subsequently toured different counties in the kingdom, encouraging communities to protect rivers, wetlands and forests. The kingdom later launched a five-year campaign targeting the planting of 10 million trees to restore degraded areas and address the effects of climate change. In 2022, King Oyo climbed the highest peak of the Rwenzori Mountains to raise awareness about climate change, global warming and the importance of environmental conservation.
Tourism promotion also formed part of his development agenda. The King visited and promoted tourism attractions in the Tooro region, including Kibale National Park, the Rwenzori Mountains and Sempaya Hot Springs. In 2025, he undertook a gorilla trekking experience in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as part of efforts to promote Uganda’s tourism and conservation potential.
However, his 31-year reign was not without controversy. In 2015, his cousin, Prince David Kijanangoma, openly challenged his leadership and declared himself the rightful King of Tooro. Kijanangoma accused King Oyo of failing to adequately perform his responsibilities, spending too much time away from Tooro, disregarding elders, and failing to strengthen kingdom institutions. He also raised concerns about the management of kingdom property and poverty among the people.
The dispute was later resolved following interventions by President Yoweri Museveni and religious leaders, with Kijanangoma eventually reconciling with King Oyo. Despite the controversies, King Oyo’s three-decade reign was marked by efforts to use the institution of the Tooro Kingdom to advance youth empowerment, agriculture, education, health, sports, tourism, and environmental conservation-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
