Shortly before 4pm the much loved King of Tooro , Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV (34) who succumbed to brain cancer on August 24, 2026 has been buried following tradition at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal city .
King Oyo made global headlines in 1995 when he took the throne at age 3. Images of the toddler king donning a crown and royal robes sparked curiosity and adoration around the world.
Queen mother Best Kemigisa comfortated by her friend and Queen of Buganda Sylvia Nagginda Luswata during the funeral in Fort Portal
At tombs was the new King elect , Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma (56) was expected to drop nine coffee berries into the grave under the guidance of of the Omusuna , the traditional chief priest charged with burying Tooro’s monarches .
The late King Oyo ‘s casket, draped in the blue-and-yellow Tooro flag, was driven from the royal palace to St. John’s Cathedral for a ceremony before hundreds of mourners, including senior Ugandan government officials and delegations from chiefdoms in neighbouring countries.
“Although he became king and carried responsibilities far beyond what most people ever experience, he never completely lost the young boy who loved to have fun,” said his sister, Ruth Komuntale, in her eulogy.
During the memorial funeral service the Queen Mother Best Kemigisa , said the late King Oyo died from angiosarcoma, a rare and highly aggressive form of cancer that develops in the lining of blood and lymph vessels.
During his funeral service at St. John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal City, details from the Kemigisa were officially shared by Tooro Kingdom Chief of Protocol Guma Komwiswa, detailing the King’s hidden medical journey.
King Oyo first began experiencing persistent, unexplained pain in July 2025. He initially brushed it off, believing the discomfort was simply due to his intensive physical workouts.
When the pain wouldn’t go away, King Oyo sought medical care at The Surgery in Naguru, Kampala. An X-ray was performed but failed to find the source of the pain.
A PET scan performed at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi finally revealed that he was battling angiosarcoma.Because it took months to diagnose, the aggressive cancer had already metastasized and spread to multiple vital organs.
Upon learning of the diagnosis, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa immediately briefed President Yoweri Museveni, prompting the Ugandan government to fund specialized treatment abroad.
The King was flown to Germany and later to the United States. According to his sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, the specialized therapies initially caused the cancer cells to shrink dramatically, giving the family temporary hope as he regained energy.
King Oyo strictly commanded that his medical battle remain entirely private to protect his subjects, instructing officials to state he was in the U.S. for studies and official duties. He remained coherent and communicative until his health abruptly failed onAugust 27, 2026.Doctors placed him on life support, but he was pronounced dead at 2:00 PM U.S. time at the age of 34.
In her emotional address, the Queen Mother expressed the deep agony she faced, revealing that she repeatedlybegged God to take her life instead of her son’s, before appealing to the people of Tooro to remain unified amid growing succession tensions.
The queen mother called for peace in Tooro Kingdom and prayed that the late Omukama’s legacy of championing environment protection and skilling the youth for job and creation be maintained .
The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, called for unity within the royal family. “Words spoken in grief can cause pain, division and conflict,” he told mourners. “It can even destroy the legacy of the king we are mourning.”
