Former Tooro King Oyo Nyimba's body returns to Uganda for September burial
The remains of Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died of cancer in the United States, arrived in Uganda on a chartered flight ahead of his September 12 burial.
Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the former king of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom and once the world’s youngest monarch, died of cancer in the United States at age 34. His body was flown back to Uganda on a chartered plane, arriving at Entebbe International Airport where President Yoweri Museveni and a small group of officials awaited. Museveni placed a wreath on the casket, which was then transferred to a military helicopter for transport to the kingdom’s capital near the Rwenzori Mountains.
Royal family member Davis Mugenyi and lawmaker Jennifer Mujungu voiced grief, describing the loss as a painful, surreal moment. The late king had served as a United Nations ambassador championing HIV/AIDS awareness, and the kingdom’s prime minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, said the line of succession remains secure. Official mourning will continue until the burial scheduled for September 12.
Why it matters
The king’s death marks the loss of a cultural figure who linked traditional authority with modern health advocacy in Uganda.
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