King Oyo’s body, placed in one of two Mercedes-Benz limousine hearses hired from Kenya for the royal funeral
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I Grief gripped Kyegegwa District on Friday, September 4, 2026, as the body of the late Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV returned home, with hundreds of mourners breaking down in tears at the sight of the casket carrying their fallen monarch.
The emotional scenes unfolded at Humura Grounds in Kyegegwa Town, where a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) helicopter carrying the King’s remains landed shortly after 2:30 p.m., marking the beginning of his final journey to Karuziika Royal Palace in Fort Portal.
For many of the mourners who had gathered at the Humura Primary School playground, the arrival transformed the reality of King Oyo’s death into a deeply personal moment. Residents wailed, some openly wept, while others stood silently as pallbearers removed the casket from the military helicopter.
King Oyo died in the United States on August 27 at the age of 34, bringing to an end a reign that began when he was only three years old.
His return to Uganda was therefore more than the arrival of a body. For the people of Tooro, it was the homecoming of a monarch who had occupied a unique place in the cultural and social life of the kingdom for more than three decades.
The Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa Akiiki, accompanied her son’s body from Entebbe, where President Yoweri Museveni had earlier led the nation in receiving the aircraft carrying the remains from the United States.
King Oyo’s elder sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, and her husband, Phil Anthony Farquharson, were also aboard the helicopter that transported the casket to Kyegegwa.
More relatives arrive
A second military helicopter arrived shortly afterwards carrying other members of the royal family and Tooro Kingdom officials, including the kingdom’s Prime Minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki.
Their presence added to the solemnity of an occasion already charged with emotion.
As the helicopter touched down, hundreds of residents gathered around the grounds to welcome their King home for the last time. Many mourners were dressed in traditional attire, while others struggled to contain their emotions.
The sight of the casket being carried away from the helicopter triggered renewed wailing among those gathered.
Pallbearers carefully transferred the casket into one of two Mercedes-Benz limousine hearses hired from Kenya specifically for the royal funeral.
From Humura Grounds, the royal convoy began its journey towards Fort Portal, passing through Kyenjonjo before proceeding to Karuziika Royal Palace, where King Oyo’s remains will lie in state.
The road journey is expected to provide thousands more Batooro and other mourners with an opportunity to pay their final respects to the late monarch.
Along the route, mourners have been encouraged to line the roads and wave farewell as the hearse passes. The vehicle is expected to move slowly through selected towns but will not stop for public ceremonies.
Nine-day mourning
The arrival at Karuziika Palace marks the beginning of the official nine-day mourning period in Tooro Kingdom.
The kingdom has put in place strict cultural protocols during the mourning period, including the suspension of farming, weddings, celebrations and loud music. Batooro have also been directed to abstain from sexual intimacy as part of traditional mourning practices following the death of a king.
At Karuziika Palace, the body will lie in state throughout the nine days, allowing members of the public to view the remains and pay their respects. Evening prayers will also be held during the mourning period.
The final farewell will take place on September 12 at the Karambi Royal Tombs, where King Oyo will be buried.
The date carries profound symbolism for the kingdom because it would have marked his 31st coronation anniversary.
For the mourners who gathered at Humura on Friday, however, the significance of the day was simpler and more painful: after weeks of mourning a King who died far from home, they finally saw Oyo return to the land he ruled.
And as tears flowed at Kyegegwa, his final journey home had begun.
