King Oyo Burial Set for September 12, 2026
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV
The late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro will be laid to rest on Saturday, September 12, 2026, exactly 31 years to the day since his coronation. The King passed away on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the age of 34, in Dallas, Texas, United States, where he had traveled for medical treatment. He had been battling aggressive brain cancer and died following complications from the illness.
King Oyo ascended the Tooro throne on September 12, 1995, at just three years old, following the death of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. At the time of his coronation, he became the world’s youngest reigning monarch. His reign lasted more than three decades, spanning over 31 years.
The casket departed Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, accompanied by nine people, including Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Princess Ruth Komuntale. The aircraft made a stopover in Amsterdam before flying to Nairobi, then onward to Entebbe.
The remains arrived at Entebbe International Airport on Friday, September 4, 2026, at 12:06 PM. President Yoweri Museveni, as chief mourner, received the body at the airport, laid a wreath, and bowed before the casket. Queen Mother Best Kemigisa broke down in grief as she approached her son’s casket.
President Museveni directed that King Oyo be accorded an official (state) burial, with a gun salute in honour of the late monarch. National flags are to fly at half-mast for three days: the day before, the day of, and the day after the burial.
The King’s remains have been lying in state at Karuziika (or Karisika) Palace in Fort Portal City, the royal palace of the Tooro Kingdom. A nine-day cultural mourning period commenced immediately after the body arrived at the palace, with prayers held each evening.
King Oyo will be buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal City, where generations of Tooro kings have been laid to rest.
Upon arrival at Entebbe, the casket was airlifted by military helicopter to Kyegegwa District. From Kyegegwa, the casket will be placed on an open, slow-moving vehicle for a road procession through Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, and Kabarole districts before entering Fort Portal City. The route was altered from the original plan to allow mourners along the Mubende-Fort Portal highway to bid farewell to their monarch.
President Museveni sent Gender Minister Gen Henry Tumukunde to Fort Portal to oversee burial preparations and resolve any outstanding issues. The Babiito royal clan, headed by Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, is leading the traditional rites and burial arrangements.
A 21-member committee has been established to handle the succession process. The identity of the next Omukama may be revealed during the burial rituals on September 12, 2026.
A viral TikTok video claiming to show King Oyo’s body arriving in Uganda has been debunked as FALSE by PesaCheck. The footage actually shows the arrival of Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga’s body at Mamboleo Grounds for public viewing in October 2025.
