Photos: King Oyo Nyimba final send off commences

The final send-off of Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has commenced in Fort Portal, with thousands of mourners, cultural leaders and government officials gathering to bid farewell to the monarch who died on August 27, 2026. 

King Oyo’s body will be laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs, where Tooro kings are buried, after a funeral service at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal. 

The burial is a culmination of nine days of mourning across the kingdom and amid a succession dispute over his replacement. 

The late king, who became the world’s youngest reigning monarch when he ascended the throne at the age of three in 1995, died aged 34 after receiving treatment for cancer in the United States. 

The burial ceremony is being attended by members of the royal family, cultural leaders, government officials, foreign dignitaries and thousands of Batooro who have gathered to honour the monarch. 

The funeral service at St John’s Cathedral is running from 9am to 1pm, led by Archbishop of the Church of Uganda Dr Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, assisted by other bishops and clergy. 

Only four official speakers will deliver eulogies during the ceremony. They include Princess Ruth Komuntale, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi, and President Yoweri Museveni or his representative. 

After the church service, King Oyo’s body will be taken in procession to the Karambi Royal Tombs, located about six kilometres away from the cathedral, where he will be buried alongside previous Tooro monarchs. 

The public will not access the burial site freely. Organisers said only a limited number of vehicles carrying members of the royal family, religious leaders and official delegations will be allowed near the tombs. Other mourners will walk from the cathedral to the burial grounds as part of the king’s final journey. 

The burial will include traditional rituals reserved for a Tooro monarch. After the casket is lowered into the grave, the Omusuna, the traditional chief priest responsible for royal burials, will guide the incoming king through rituals that include casting nine coffee berries into the grave. 

The burial takes place as Tooro navigates a succession dispute. The Babiito Royal Clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as King Oyo’s successor, while members of the late king’s immediate family have challenged the decision, citing a will they say named King Oyo’s son as heir. 

Security agencies have deployed measures to manage crowds, protect dignitaries and maintain order during the ceremony. The joint security agencies announced special arrangements covering traffic control, access points and movement around Fort Portal. 

Mourners have been advised to follow instructions from security officers and organisers, use designated routes and avoid disrupting official movements.

Access to the royal burial grounds has been restricted, with special parking and movement arrangements put in place for authorised vehicles and delegations. 

The organisers have urged the public to maintain peace and allow King Oyo to receive a dignified farewell as the kingdom prepares to begin a new chapter after nearly three decades under his reign.