By Spy Uganda
The body of the late Tooro King, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has this afternoon arrived at Entebbe International Airport, marking the beginning of his final journey home to Tooro Kingdom.
The King’s remains were received by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, alongside senior Tooro Kingdom officials, members of the Royal Family, relatives, friends and other dignitaries who gathered at the airport to pay their final respects to the 34-year-old monarch.
King Oyo died in the United States on August 27, 2026, following a battle with cancer, bringing to an end a historic reign that began in 1995 when he ascended the Tooro throne at just three years old.
In his remarks, President Museveni revealed that he was first briefed about King Oyo’s cancer diagnosis in November last year, when the late monarch personally visited him and informed him about his illness.
Museveni said he subsequently supported the King during his treatment journey, which initially took him to Germany before he later travelled to the United States, where he eventually passed away.
The President described King Oyo as a humble monarch who was willing to listen and engage with others, rather than being argumentative.
Museveni also commended the late King for understanding the limits and responsibilities of his cultural institution, saying he concentrated on matters concerning the Tooro Kingdom and avoided involving himself in issues outside his mandate.
According to Museveni, this discipline and humility helped King Oyo maintain respect and stability during his long reign.
The President’s tribute added a personal dimension to the national farewell for a monarch whose life and reign were closely followed by Ugandans from the time he ascended the throne as a child.
Following the official reception at Entebbe, a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) helicopter departed for Humura Primary School playground in Kyegegwa District, where hundreds of mourners had gathered to receive the late King.
Humura holds a special historical connection to the Tooro Royal Family. King Oyo’s grandfather, Sir George Rukiidi III, and his father, Prince Kaboyo, planted trees at the school. King Oyo himself also planted a tree at the same school last year, adding emotional significance to his final passage through the area.
The Humura playground, located a few metres off the Kyegegwa-Kyenjojo-Fort Portal road, was heavily secured ahead of the King’s arrival, with personnel from the UPDF and Uganda Police Force deployed around the venue. Security vehicles were also stationed along roads leading to the playground as authorities prepared for the solemn procession.
From Humura, the King’s body is expected to begin a road journey of more than 100 kilometres through Kyenjojo and Kabarole before reaching Fort Portal City, where the remains will be taken to Karuziika Palace, the official seat of the Tooro monarchy.
The procession is expected to draw thousands of Batooro and other mourners along the route, giving them an opportunity to line the roads and pay their final respects to a monarch who became one of Uganda’s most recognisable cultural leaders.
Upon arrival at Karuziika Palace, the official nine-day mourning period will commence, culminating in the final burial ceremony at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12, 2026.
The burial date carries additional historical significance for the Tooro Kingdom because it falls on the date that would have marked King Oyo’s 31st coronation anniversary.
King Oyo was crowned on September 12, 1995, at the age of three, following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Rukidi III.
His reign subsequently grew into one of the most remarkable modern stories of traditional leadership in Uganda, as he transitioned from a child monarch into an adult cultural leader who presided over the affairs of the Tooro Kingdom for more than three decades.
His final return to Karuziika Palace and eventual burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs will therefore mark not only the end of a life, but also the closing chapter of an extraordinary royal journey that began with a three-year-old boy ascending one of Uganda’s most historic thrones.
