Tooro Royal Family seeks 70M to repair music organ

Fort Portal, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |Members of the Tooro Royal family have launched a fundraising campaign to collect Shillings 70 million for the repair of the musical organ of St, John’s Cathedral, the seat of the Rwenzori diocese, which covers Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Bunyangabu, Ntoroko, Kabarole districts and Fort Portal City.

The campaign was launched during the Thanksgiving service for the royal family at St Johns Cathedral in Fort Portal on Saturday. Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, the 11th king of Tooro, purchased the organ from Leeds in the United Kingdom and donated it to the cathedral in 1955.

Rukidi, who is the grandfather of the current King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru reigned over the Tooro Kingdom from 1928 until 1965. Engravings on the organ indicate that it was built in 1945 by UK-based Positive Organ. It also has three keyboards played by the hands and a pedal board played by the feet.

The organ is the second largest in the country, the first being the one at Namirembe Cathedral. In 1987, the organ broke down due to the lack of service. It has been nonfunctional for 36 years. Gilbert Mujogya, a son of Omukama Rukiidi said that they came up with the initiative to make sure that the organ is restored as a way of honoring the legacy of Omukama Rukiidi who donated it to the church.

Edward Kasagama Araali, one of the organizers of the thanksgiving service, said that the service which will be annual was organized to bring together members of the royal family in thanking God for the gift of Life and the good things the Lord has done for them.

Rt Rev Reuben Kisembo, the Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese who was the main celebrant thanked the royal family for the initiative of fundraising for the music organ and challenged them to always pray together because a family that prays together stays together. The Bishop also called for togetherness and Unity among the members of the royal family.

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URN