Final journey: King Oyo’s body leaves US, expected in Uganda on Friday

The body of the late Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has left the United States ahead of its arrival in Uganda on Friday, September 4, 2026.

Images shared online on Wednesday night showed the King’s coffin at a cargo facility in the United States. 

Relatives, friends and colleagues gathered for a brief prayer before workers loaded it for the journey to Uganda. These, together with others in the US officials, prayed for journey mercies.

Hours earlier in Uganda, the Tooro Kingdom changed the programme for the return of the King’s body.

Kingdom officials had first announced that the remains would arrive at Entebbe International Airport at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

However, Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced on Wednesday that the body would instead arrive on Friday.

Rwomiire announced the change while hosting Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga at King Oyo’s residence in Buziga, Kampala.

The revised programme shows that the body will arrive at Entebbe International Airport at about 10 a.m. President Yoweri Museveni is expected to receive it and pay his respects.

The government earlier said the remains would then be flown to Kyegegwa. From there, mourners will escort the body by road to Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City.

The coffin will be placed on an open carrier from Kyegegwa to allow people along the route to pay their last respects. 

Karuziika Palace will be the centre of the royal funeral rites. 

Tooro customs require the body of a deceased King to remain at the official palace instead of moving between different royal residences.

The formal nine-day mourning period will start when the body reaches Karuziika. The body will remain at the palace until its transfer to the Karambi Royal Tombs for burial.

The Office of the Omujwera Musuuga, which oversees Tooro’s cultural funeral rites, said Karuziika is the kingdom’s only official palace. It classifies other royal properties, including the Buziga home, as residences.

King Oyo died in the United States on August 27, 2026, aged 34. His death ended a reign of almost 31 years.

Museveni granted the King an official burial. He also directed national flags to fly at half-mast for three days: the day before the burial, the burial day and the following day.