FORT PORTAL, Uganda—It’s all systems go after the organising committee of the funeral of the late Omukama, His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of the Tooro Kingdom, set the stage for his final send-off.
According to Richard Rwabuhinga, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, the viewing of the body will end on Friday, September 11, 2026, at 5pm, followed by an official vigil later that evening.
“We know that on Saturday we have got very limited time, so on Friday we shall have an official vigil where we shall expect delegations from the other kingdoms and monarchs, the visiting monarchs, to make their statements and pay their tribute,” said Rwabuhinga.
The chairman further said that government officials, friends, and partners will have an opportunity that Friday to read out their statements, pay their tribute, and say anything they want to say.
He announced that the committee will also have an opportunity to read out all the condolences it has received and the messages that have been written, and to announce the contributions we have received. In a spirit of transparency and accountability, we shall read out all the condolence messages that we have received, including those that have given us finances.
King Oyo embarks on his final journey
King Oyo’s body arrived at Entebbe Airport on Friday, September 4, 2026, on board a chartered plane from the United States of America, where he died on August 27, 2026, while undergoing treatment. A guard of honour was mounted at the airport as the body arrived in the country.
President Museveni laid a wreath on the casket—draped in both the national and Tooro kingdom flags—while the Uganda Police Band played solemn hymns.
On Saturday, which is the final day, Rwabuhinga said the fallen king will embark on his final journey from Karuzika at 8:15am.
Rwabuhinga further disclosed that the church is supposed to be at the main St. John’s Cathedral, Kabarole. The main celebrant is the Archbishop of the Province of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Steven Kazimba Mugalu. He will be assisted by a number of bishops and the clergy.
“Those intending to be part of that service, that burial service, should start their journey early enough so that they are settled at the cathedral by 8am. At 8:15am, we shall receive the body of His Majesty. It will lie in state at church, within, say, the church premises, for 45 minutes, from 8:15am to 9am,” the chairman further said.
Who will lead the church service
At 9am, Rwabuhinga revealed that the procession will begin, moving to the service grounds led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda. The service at church will run from 9am to exactly 1pm.
“In the Tooro traditions, we don’t bury the king beyond 2pm. We don’t bury the king late. So the service will begin at exactly 9am. In the middle of the service, we shall have speeches, and these speeches will come only from four known individuals. This is a sister to the fallen king, Omugabe Batembe, Semere Khumuntari. Then after, we shall have a speech from the Queen Mother, Akiki Besigye Mugisa. We shall have a speech from the Musuuga, the head of the Babiito clan in Toro, and then any cabinet minister who will be around,” he stated.
The kingdom has also extended an invitation to President Museveni or his representative to make the final statement on behalf of the state.
“This being an official burial, that will mark the end of the eulogies on the day, and then we proceed with the conclusion of the service and plan to go to the royal tombs. Now, for the royal tombs, yes, it is open ground, but no vehicle will be allowed there apart from that of the Queen Mother of the Batembe, the princess of the Musuuga, the bishops, the archbishop, and the representative of the president,” explained Rwabuhinga.
Rwabuhinga announced that the protocol is organising stickers for no more than 20 to 30 vehicles.
“The rest of us will walk on foot from the church to the royal tombs. It’s a distance of about six kilometers. It’s a walkable distance. And as people of Tooro, we are prepared to make that trek as we escort our king on his final journey. It is a sign of love that we must demonstrate at the end of it all, and therefore, we’re expected to walk that distance to the royal tombs, where the king will be laid to rest with his ancestors, his father, and his forefathers. That is the program as it stands today. Should there be any change, we shall communicate, but we continue to appreciate the media,” he further said.
How King Oyo ascended to power
King Oyo, who became king of Tooro at the age of three in 1995, was the 13th Omukama of the Tooro Kingdom. He famously held the Guinness World Record as the world’s youngest reigning monarch after the sudden passing of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III.
Because he was a toddler when he became king, a board of regents (including his mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi) oversaw the kingdom’s affairs until he took full control upon turning 18 in 2010.
He served as the cultural figurehead for over two million people in the Tooro Kingdom, one of the constitutional traditional monarchies in southwestern Uganda. King Oyo was not publicly married, creating initial uncertainty regarding who would inherit the throne.
While Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Akiiki and the Queen Mother announced that Oyo left behind a young son to serve as his heir, leaders of the royal Babiito clan have expressed surprise, sparking a public disagreement over who will legally succeed him.
President Museveni declared three days of national mourning from Friday, September 11, to 13, 2026, with the Omukama to be laid to rest on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
