MTN Uganda Board Chairman Charles Mbire has described the death of Tooro’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV as a profound loss to the Kingdom and the country, as the telecom company pledged Shs100 million towards preparations for his interment.
Mbire visited the late King’s residence in Buziga, Kampala, on Thursday to convey condolences to the royal family and the people of Tooro.
Speaking on behalf of the MTN Uganda Board, management and staff, Mbire said King Oyo had carried the aspirations of his people with dedication.
“On behalf of the MTN Uganda Board, management and staff, I extend our deepest condolences to the royal family, the people of Tooro and all Ugandans. King Oyo diligently carried the hopes of his people, and his passing is a great loss to the nation.”
The tribute comes against the backdrop of a longstanding relationship between MTN Uganda and the Tooro Kingdom, with the telecom company supporting programmes championed under King Oyo’s stewardship.
The partnership has included initiatives in youth empowerment, sports, health, education and community development, areas that have increasingly become important platforms through which cultural institutions engage with communities beyond their traditional roles.
Mbire said MTN Uganda would contribute Shs100 million through the National Organizing Committee to support preparations for the King’s burial.
The pledge positions the company among institutions supporting the royal family and the Kingdom during the period of mourning, while also underscoring the role of corporate partnerships in supporting cultural institutions.
MTN Uganda said its relationship with the Obukama of Tooro would continue beyond the burial, with the company committing to support initiatives associated with the late King’s vision.
The company said its engagement with cultural institutions forms part of its broader commitment to promoting inclusion, talent development and community progress.
King Oyo, who became King of Tooro at the age of three in 1995 following the death of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, was one of Uganda’s most prominent cultural leaders.
His death has since triggered an outpouring of condolences from political, business, cultural and community leaders, with attention now turning to arrangements for his final interment.
