World’s youngest monarch, King Oyo, to be buried September 12

King Oyo ascended to the throne at the age of three but was crowned on reaching adulthood at 18 in 2010 | BBC/AFP via GettyImages

The body of Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s youngest reigning monarch, has been returned to the country ahead of his burial on September 12.

King Oyo died in the United States last week at the age of 34 after receiving treatment for an aggressive form of cancer.

His body arrived at Entebbe Airport, where President Yoweri Museveni joined other mourners to pay their respects. Following a brief ceremony, the coffin was flown by military helicopter to Kyegegwa in western Uganda, where the Tooro Kingdom is located, before being taken by road to the royal palace in Fort Portal.

As reported by the BBC on Friday, the king’s return marks the beginning of the Tooro Kingdom’s official nine-day mourning period.

His body will lie in state at Karuziika Palace, where members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects and prayers will be held each evening.

King Oyo ascended the Tooro throne in 1995 at the age of three and was crowned when he turned 18 in 2010. He became the 13th monarch of the kingdom, which was founded in the early 19th Century and has more than two million people.

Uganda is governed by an elected president and parliament, but its traditional kingdoms retain significant cultural influence despite having no political authority.

On Thursday, Uganda’s Parliament held a special tribute to King Oyo, with lawmakers remembering him as a modernising monarch who championed education, healthcare and opportunities for young people.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja described him as a “symbol of unity” and praised his efforts to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS among young people.

Opposition MPs also paid tribute to the late monarch, with acting opposition leader Patrick Nsamba Oshabe saying, “Heritage and development were never rivals in his hands.”

President Museveni has ordered an official burial for King Oyo, while national flags will fly at half-mast for three days around the funeral.

The burial is expected to take place on September 12, the same day King Oyo had hoped to celebrate the anniversary of his coronation through the annual Empango celebration.

Before the burial, a church funeral service will be held at a local church. His body will then be carried in a traditional procession to the Karambi Royal Tombs, where he is expected to be buried by 14:00 local time.

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According to Tooro tradition, kings are not buried in the evening.

King Oyo’s death has also triggered uncertainty over the future of the Tooro monarchy because he was not officially married.

However, Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said the late king had a young son whose identity would be revealed later in accordance with Tooro customs.

President Museveni also said King Oyo’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, had informed him that her son had left an heir.

The claim has sparked an unusual public disagreement within the kingdom. Charles Kamurasi, head of the Babiito royal clan from which Tooro kings are chosen, said he was unaware of the reported child.

Other members of the royal clan have also questioned why they were apparently not informed about the alleged heir.

Akiiki has since appealed for the matter to be handled privately, saying he wanted to meet with elders to resolve the disagreement.

“Words spoken in moments of grief can deepen divisions that may take years to repair,” he warned.

The Ugandan government has also urged the public to avoid spreading speculation about the succession on social media.

Culture Minister Henry Tumukunde called for restraint and respect, saying Ugandans should rely on official information from the government and the Tooro Kingdom.

“The whole world is watching how Uganda mourns its king,” he said.

The Tooro Kingdom follows a hereditary system in selecting its monarch, with kings chosen from the Babiito royal clan.