TOORO BIDS FINAL FAREWELL TO KING OYO AS KINGDOM PREPARES FOR BURIAL
It is an emotional day in Tooro as the kingdom comes together to honour its late monarch, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, with a requiem Mass at St. John’s Cathedral on Kabarole Hill in Fort Portal City.
King Oyo, who died on August 27, 2026, aged 34, while undergoing cancer treatment in the United States, is being remembered as a monarch who spent more than three decades on the Tooro throne.
He became Omukama in 1995 at just three years old, following the death of his father. His coronation on September 12 that year made him the world’s youngest reigning monarch, a title he held throughout his reign
Today’s service coincides with the anniversary of his historic coronation, adding deep significance to the kingdom’s final farewell.
King Oyo was the 13th Omukama of Tooro, presiding over a kingdom with more than two million subjects.
Following the requiem Mass, his remains will be taken to the Karambi Royal Tombs, where he will be laid to rest according to Tooro royal traditions.
As Tooro closes the chapter of mourning for its fallen king, the kingdom now faces a new chapter — the future of the Tooro throne and the succession of its next Omukama.