culture 2 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
King Oyo's Burial Set for Coronation Anniversary, Funeral Route Modified
Tooro Kingdom has announced that the late King Oyo will be buried on September 12, 2026, coinciding with his 31st coronation anniversary. The funeral procession route has also been adjusted to allow more subjects to pay their respects. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/king-oyo-to-be-buried-on-coronation-anniversary-as-tooro-alters-funeral-route-5581568
The late Omukama of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, will be laid to rest on September 12, 2026, a date that holds significant historical importance as it marks the 31st anniversary of his coronation.
The Office of the Omujwera Musuuga, the head of the royal Babiito clan, confirmed these arrangements, including a revised protocol for the journey of the monarch’s body from Entebbe International Airport to Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City.
Upon arrival at Entebbe on Friday, September 4, the body is expected to be received by President Yoweri Museveni. Following this, the remains will be transported by military helicopter to Kyegegwa District. From Kyegegwa, a royal cortege will take the body via a slow-moving vehicle through Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, and Kabarole districts before reaching Fort Portal City.
This modification to the funeral route stems from numerous requests by subjects along the Mubende-Fort Portal highway who expressed a desire to bid farewell to their King. “Many people have requested an opportunity to bid farewell to the King as the body is in transit,” explained Fr Charles Oyo, Head of Communications for the Omujwera Musuuga’s office.
While the procession will move slowly to allow mourners to pay homage from the roadside, it will not make multiple stops for public viewing. Fr. Oyo urged the public to remain disciplined and reflective of Tooro’s heritage during this period. A nine-day cultural mourning period will begin upon the body’s arrival at Karuziika Palace, culminating in the burial on the ninth day.
The choice of September 12 for the burial creates a poignant convergence, as it was the same day a three-year-old Oyo ascended the throne in 1995. “It is painful and sad, but maybe God wanted us to see it that way, because that happens to be the coronation day,” Fr. Oyo remarked.