As the administrative center for the Ruwenzori diocese, which includes the Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Bunyangabu, Ntoroko, Kabarole districts, and Fort Portal City, members of the Tooro Royal family have started a fundraising campaign to raise Shillings 70 million for the repair of the cathedral’s musical organ.
The campaign was introduced on Saturday in St. John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal during the royal family’s Thanksgiving ceremony.
The organ was purchased from Leeds in the United Kingdom and gifted to the church by Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, the 11th king of Tooro, in 1955.
The Tooro Kingdom was ruled by Rukidi, the grandfather of the present King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, from 1928 to 1965.
The organ was constructed in 1945 by Positive Organ, a UK-based company, according to engravings on it. Additionally, it contains a pedal board and three hand-operated keyboards.
The organ of Namirembe Cathedral is the largest in the nation, with this one coming in at number two.
The organ stopped working in 1987 as a result of poor maintenance. It hasn’t worked properly for 36 years.
In order to honor Omukama Rukiidi, who gifted the organ to the church, Gilbert Mujogya, a son of Omukama Rukiidi, claimed that they came up with the idea to ensure that the organ is restored.
According to Edward Kasagama Araali, one of the event’s organizers, the annual service was planned to gather together members of the royal family to express gratitude to God for giving them life and other blessings.
The principal celebrant, Rt Rev Reuben Kisembo, Bishop of the Ruwenzori Diocese, commended the royal family for taking the initiative to raise money for the music organ and urged them to always pray as a family since a family that prays together stays together.
The bishop urged the members of the royal family to work together and be united.