PICTURES: Tooro Falls Silent as King Oyo’s Mortal Remains Arrives at Karuziika Palace

What the report says

Thousands of mourners gathered along roads in Kyegegwa and Fort Portal City on Friday as the mortal remains of Tooro’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV were escorted to Karuziika Palace in a funeral procession, according to Nile Post. The report said businesses closed and the towns fell quiet as residents lined the route to pay their respects, with many visibly overcome by grief.

Nile Post also reported that the sombre scenes followed the earlier reception of the remains at Entebbe International Airport by President Yoweri Museveni. In remarks quoted by the outlet, Museveni said he had known the king since childhood and had helped support his upbringing. He said the Queen Mother first informed him of Oyo’s illness in November 2025 and that efforts were made to secure specialised treatment in Germany and later in the United States.

Museveni described the monarch’s death as a major loss for Tooro and Uganda, and urged people in the kingdom to remain calm and orderly during the mourning period. The report said the arrival at Karuziika Palace marked another solemn stage in the farewell to a ruler who came to the throne as a child and became one of Uganda’s best-known traditional leaders. More broadly, the story reflects the continuing public role of cultural institutions in Uganda’s national life.