Mourners brave the hot sunshine to bid farewell to King Oyo

What the report says

Mourners and Tooro Kingdom loyalists gathered on Thursday along the Fort Portal-Kampala Highway to pay respects to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV as his body was moved from central Uganda to Fort Portal ahead of burial. The Independent Uganda reported that the cortege began at Humura Playground in Kyegegwa, where it was offloaded from a helicopter and placed on a waiting horse before continuing westward. Large crowds also assembled at roadside trading centres and town vantage points, while some businesses in Kyenjojo closed as residents joined the mourning.

According to the report, the king died in Dallas, United States, and his remains were flown back to Uganda for burial the following day. Security was tightened along the route, with police and Uganda People’s Defence Force personnel deployed to manage traffic and maintain order. The casket had earlier arrived at Entebbe International Airport and was received in a state ceremony, reflecting the formal national and cultural importance attached to the return of a traditional ruler.

Mourners told the newspaper they remembered King Oyo as a young leader associated with development, unity and service to his subjects. Speakers at the procession also urged respect for Tooro customs and traditions. In a broader context, King Oyo was one of Uganda’s longest-serving traditional leaders, having become king in 1995 as a child, which helps explain the large public turnout and the emotional response to his death.