Members of Parliament observe a moment of silence in honour of Omukama Oyo

By Nasser Kayanja

KAMPALA — Parliament has joined the people of Tooro Kingdom in mourning the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, with Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth describing the monarch’s death as a deeply painful loss to the kingdom and the country.

Speaking to legislators during Tuesday’s plenary sitting, September 1, 2026, Oboth called on Parliament to stand with the people of Tooro as they grieve the death of their king.

“In this moment of sorrow, let Parliament stand with the people of Tooro to share in their grief as they mourn a king whose life touched generations,” Oboth said.

The Speaker said the death of a monarch goes beyond the royal family, affecting the entire kingdom and the nation.

“When a king departs, it is not only a family that mourns, a kingdom mourns, a people mourn and the nation feels the loss,” he said.

Oboth announced that Parliament would consider a motion to pay tribute to King Oyo and recognise his contribution to Tooro and Uganda.

“Today a throne stands in mourning, a kingdom grieves its king and the nation bids farewell to one of its remarkable sons,” he said.

Oyo remembered for cultural leadership

Oboth noted that although King Oyo died at a relatively young age, his more than three decades on the throne were marked by significant achievements.

He said the late monarch’s life demonstrated that a person’s legacy is not necessarily determined by the length of their life.

“A king who came to the throne as a child has now departed. He departed far too soon. His life reminds us that the measure of a life is not only its length but the legacy it leaves behind,” Oboth said.

King Oyo ascended the Tooro throne at the age of three and grew into one of Uganda’s most prominent traditional leaders.

The Speaker praised him for promoting Tooro’s cultural heritage and raising the profile of the kingdom both locally and internationally.

He also recognised the late King’s involvement in tourism promotion and environmental conservation.

Among his notable initiatives, Oboth cited King Oyo’s ascent of Margherita Peak in the Rwenzori Mountains, an effort aimed at promoting tourism in the region and drawing attention to climate change.

The Speaker also said the late monarch championed youth empowerment and used his international engagements to promote Tooro and Uganda.

Government mourns

Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio Rukia Nakadama also expressed condolences to the royal family and the people of Tooro.

“I condole with Tooro and the royal family for losing such a brilliant young king,” Nakadama said, describing his death at a young age as particularly painful.

Members of Parliament later observed a moment of silence in honour of the late Omukama.

Body expected Thursday

King Oyo died on August 27, 2026, at a hospital in the United States, where he had been receiving medical treatment.

His body is expected to arrive in Uganda on Thursday, September 3, before being transported to Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal.

The return of the remains will mark the beginning of official mourning and preparations for the traditional burial rites of the late Tooro monarch.