Tooro kingdom begins nine-day mourning period as King Oyo's body returns to Uganda

The body of Uganda's King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has been flown home and received at Entebbe airport, where mourners gathered to pay their respects. The Tooro kingdom has now begun a nine-day mourning period following his death in the United States last week. The traditional ruler, who was 34, will be buried next Saturday.

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A brief ceremony was held after the coffin arrived at the airport, with President Yoweri Museveni among those present. The body was then flown by military helicopter to Kyegegwa in western Uganda before being taken by road to the royal palace in Fort Portal. It will lie in state at Karuziika Palace during the mourning period, and members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects there.

King Oyo died after receiving treatment for an aggressive form of cancer. He had become king at the age of three and was crowned when he turned 18, making him one of the most recognisable traditional rulers in Uganda. Guinness World Records had listed him as the world's youngest reigning monarch, and he ruled over more than two million people in the Tooro kingdom.

His return comes amid a growing public dispute over who should succeed him. The kingdom's mourning period and burial arrangements have therefore taken place alongside questions about the future leadership of the royal institution. Uganda is governed by an elected president and parliament, but its traditional kingdoms continue to hold significant cultural influence despite not having political power.

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There has also been an official response from state institutions. Uganda's parliament held a special tribute to King Oyo on Thursday, with lawmakers describing him as a modernising monarch who supported education, health and opportunities for young people. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja called him a symbol of unity and praised his work raising awareness about HIV and AIDS among young people.

President Museveni has ordered an official burial for the monarch, and national flags will fly at half-mast for three days around the funeral. The kingdom has said the public will be able to pay their respects at the palace during the mourning period, with prayers held there each evening. What remains unclear is how the succession dispute will be resolved and whether it will affect the burial period or the wider transition within the Tooro kingdom.

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