By Aggrey Baba
The August 26th, 2026 death of Tooro’s Omugabe Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru should not only be remembered as the loss of a young King, but as the disappearance of a powerful voice that challenged Uganda’s youth to prepare for the future and protect the environment, BoU Deputy Governor has said.
Leading a five-member Bank of Uganda delegation to pay tribute to the fallen King on Wednesday at the fallen King’s Buziga residence, Professor Augustus Nuwagaba
said Oyo’s 31-year reign produced a message that should live forever.
He singled out Oyo’s campaigns on environmental conservation, tree planting, green energy and sustainable livelihoods, saying they fitted into the wider national development agenda.
According to the Deputy Governor, King Oyo understood that Uganda’s natural resources could not be exploited indefinitely without thinking about future generations.
“He was talking of green energy. He was talking of planting trees. He carried out so many campaigns of ensuring that the country can sustain its environmental and natural resources,” he said.
The Deputy Governor said that what impressed him most was the late King’s ability to turn the message into mass mobilization, bringing together children, youth, women, men, government officials and civil society actors.
He recalled personally joining one of the King’s tree-planting campaigns through Rotary, where numerous trees were planted around his Palace.
But Prof. Nuwagaba warned against allowing such initiatives to become dependent on the personality of the monarch, challenging Tooro’s institutions and young Ugandans to take ownership of the causes Oyo championed and ensure they continue after his death.
“We should not depend on an individual. This message was a very concentrated message.”
He added that the Kingdom already has structures, including the Prime Minister [Omuhikirwa Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire] and ministers responsible for different sectors, that can sustain the late King’s programmes.
The Deputy Governor also linked Oyo’s message to BoU’s broader concern about economic development, saying sustainable livelihoods, productive youth and environmental protection all contribute to a stronger economy.
Prof. Nuwagaba described Oyo’s death at only 34 as particularly painful because it came at a stage when the monarch could have done much more for his Kingdom and Uganda.
The Bank of Uganda delegation also used the occasion to express solidarity with the people of Tooro, saying the institution had come “to be part and parcel” of the country’s mourning.
Prof. Nuwagaba urged the youths who heard Oyo’s message during his lifetime to become its custodians.
“The onus is on you to ensure that you also are informing others,” he said. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
