Security heightened at Karuzika Palace ahead of Omukama Oyo burial

What the report says

Security has been tightened at Karuzika Palace in Fort Portal, Uganda, as the Tooro kingdom prepares for the burial of the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on Saturday. According to The Independent Uganda, police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces personnel were visibly deployed at the palace on Friday, and sniffer dogs were used in a detailed sweep of the grounds and buildings.

The report says the stronger measures came as the palace entered the final day of public mourning and viewing. People inside the compound were asked to leave temporarily while officers searched the area, and security screening had already been in place in the days since the king’s death on August 27. The paper also reported a new restriction requiring mourners and journalists to leave mobile phones at the gate, with bags checked before entry.

The tighter controls prompted criticism from at least one mourner, who said the rules were unusual for a cultural mourning event. Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told Uganda Radio Network, as quoted by the outlet, that he was checking with superiors about whether journalists could be allowed in with phones and other devices. The final rites are expected to draw cultural leaders, government officials and members of the public. Omukama Oyo, who became king as a child in 1995, will be buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs, the traditional burial site of Tooro monarchs.