Kaziimba asks Tooro to honour Oyo by backing Arsenal

What the report says

Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu used King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV’s funeral service in Fort Portal to reflect both the late monarch’s personal interests and the need for unity in Tooro during a period of transition. According to Sqoop Uganda, the Archbishop led the service at St John’s Cathedral and noted Oyo’s love of football, especially Uganda Cranes and English club Arsenal, suggesting that continued support for Arsenal could be one way to remember him.

Beyond the light remark, Kaziimba delivered a cautionary message to mourners and leaders. He urged them not to let grief harden into hostility or deepen divisions over succession and other disagreements. He said words spoken in sorrow can worsen tensions, and encouraged people with differences to meet and talk rather than criticize one another publicly.

The service came as Tooro mourned a king who had reigned for nearly 31 years after becoming monarch as a child. Sqoop Uganda reported that details of Oyo’s illness and death in Dallas were shared at the funeral before burial plans at the Karambi Royal Tombs. The Archbishop said the loss affected the royal family, the monarchy and the wider community, and framed unity as a key way to preserve Oyo’s legacy.