Col Basaliza Says King Oyo Was ‘Father, Unifier and True Icon of Our Culture’

What the report says

UPDF officer Col Carol Basaliza has joined mourners in Tooro Kingdom and across Uganda after the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, praising him as a humble, faith-driven ruler and a strong supporter of young people and sports. Basaliza, who serves as the UPDF Head of Women Affairs for the Land Force and is described as a daughter of Tooro and Fort Portal City, said the monarch led with grace, wisdom and steady support for his people.

In her tribute, she called King Oyo a father, unifier and cultural icon whose legacy would endure. The remarks come as the kingdom prepares for a series of funeral observances following the arrival of his remains in Uganda. According to the report, the body was received at Entebbe International Airport by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni before being taken onward for the royal funeral programme.

The public viewing is expected to begin in Kyegegwa District, followed by the return of the remains to Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City. A nine-day cultural mourning period will then precede final burial rites at the Karambi Royal Tombs, where earlier Tooro kings are buried. The report says King Oyo died in the United States after treatment for brain cancer. His death marks the end of a reign that began when he was a child, and the funeral is expected to draw royals, officials, cultural leaders and mourners from Uganda and beyond.