King Oyo, Once World’s Youngest Monarch Buried At Tooro’Kingdom’s Karambi Royal Tombs , Queen Mother Reveals Monarch’s Final Moments

 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 on August 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 repeatedly begged 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.”

President Museveni Receives King Oyo’s Remains At Entebbe Airport Says Queen Mother Told Him About Monarch Treatment Abroad In February

By Moses Sserwanga

 President Yoweri Museveni has today mid-morning received the remains of King Oyo at Enetbbe International Airport and told the country that he was first infomred about the 34- year old mondarch’s illness in November 2025 and later in February during the presidential campaigns when he offered to have him flown to Germany for treatment .

Museveni laid a wreath while paying tribute to the fallen king and called on the people of Tooro to remain calm and allow a dignified- 9 day mourning period and burial on September 12th at Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal , Kabarole district .

At Entebbe Airport , Museveni was joined by Tooro Kingdom officials who included the 59 year old Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa, the late King Oyo’s 90 year old paternal aunt Princess Elizabeth Bagaya , and 36 year old sister Princess Ruth Komuntale, other members of the Royal Family, cabinent ministers , religious leaders , relatives, friends and other dignitaries .

“He was a gentleman and did a lot of good work for his kingdom at a tender age . He also had a good relationship with the central government which is commendable . I commiserate with the family and the Batoro for the loss of their king,” Museveni stated .

The body was later flown by Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) helicopter flight AF-625 to Humura Primary School playground in Kyegegwa District, from where it be transported by road to Fort Portal in Tooro Kingdom.

King Oyo, died on August 27 at the age of 34, in Dallas Texas USA where he was being treated for advanced cancer . King Oyo assumed the throne at the age of three in 1995 – following the death of his father, King Patrick David Matthew Rwamuhokya Kaboyo Olimi III.

Oyo was the second-born child of the late Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III and Queen Best Kemigisa Kaboyo, with two sisters. He was born on April 16, 1992. Oyo’s two sisters are Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale and the late Princess Cecilia Komukyeya.

Princess Komukyeya King Oyo’s younger sister passed away from leukemia in October 1997 at the age of four.

He attended Aga Khan Primary School in Kampala and later Kampala International School Uganda before pursuing a degree in Business Management at the University of Winchester in the United Kingdom.

King Oyo, who Guinness World Records listed as the world’s youngest reigning monarch, ruled over more than two million people. He was the 13th monarch of a kingdom that was founded in the early 19th Century.

The Tooro Kingdom follows a hereditary system in selecting its monarch.

Oyo was not officially married, but President Museveni said that he was told by the Queen Mother Kemigisa that he had left a son and therefore , “the continuity of the Crown is assured”.

When he became king in 1995 a regency, which included the queen mother, and Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveniwas established until Oyo turned 18 when there was an official coronation.

Oyo’s mother was among his key advisers in his younger years, as was President Museveni, who attended his coming-of-age 18th birthday party in 2010 in Fort Portal.

Oyo was known as a lover of sports, and a fan of London football club Arsenal.

He took interest in causes including HIV prevention, environmental conservation, tourism and climate change, for instance when he embarked on a hiking expedition in the Rwenzori Mountains in 2022 to try to showcase Uganda’s tourism potential and the risks of climate change.

President Museveni has since granted at official burial for the much loved departed King Oyo.

Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com

E-Bus Xpress Operations Launched In Kira Municipality With 21 Kayoola Electric Buses

 

Fares will start from as low as UGX 800 for adults and UGX 400 for students, depending on the distance travelled

 

By Moses Sserwanga

E-Bus Xpress operations have been launched in Kira Municipality, with pomp marking a significant milestone in the country’s journey towards a modern, efficient, safe, accessible and sustainable public transport system in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) .

At a colourful event presided over by the Minister of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs , Hajjat Minsa Kabanda , E- Bus Xpress- (EBX) a subsidiary of Uganda’s green mobility industry captains Kiira Motors Corporation , (KMC) has deployed an additional 21 new Kayoola electric buses which were flagged-off for the new- modern – green mobility service that  will connect growing residential communities to the  Ntinda hub and Kampala, with three dedicated feeder routes which will include ; Ntinda – Najjera – Kira – Kitukutwe – Kiwologoma – Nakwero; Ntinda – Naalya – Kyaliwajjala – Namugongo – Sonde and Ntinda – Kisasi – Kyanja – Kungu.

Each route will have 5 buses connecting passengers with scheduled services, air conditioned buses, onboard Wi-Fi, modern safety features and cashless payments.

Others who joined Minister Kabanda to witness the historic moment were   her colleague, the Minister of Science Technology and Innovations (STI) Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki. the Kiira Municipality Mayor , Mr. Allan Bulamu , the Wakiso LCV Chairman Mr. Ian Kyeyune , the E-Bus Xpress Board of Governors Chairman ,Dr. Freddie Emmanuel Mugunga, the E-Bus  Xpress, Managing Director (MD) Eng. Ian Jon Kavuma , Mr. Ibrahim Senyonga ,the General Manager for  Enterprise Business United (EBU) at MTN –Uganda, Eng JacobEng. Jacob Byamukama ,the Deputy Director for Roads Management (and Deputy Director of Transport and Roads Management) at the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Mr. Isaac Musasizi the CEO Kiira Motors Corporation .

Minister Kabanda said the new green mobility services which started in Jinja City and are now being rolled out in the Capital City Kampala, demonstrates the confidence that the Uganda Government is placing in electric mobility as part of the future of urban transportation.

“For the people of Kira, today's launch means more than additional buses on the road. It means greater connectivity, more reliable mobility and a cleaner and more dignified public transport experience. What we are witnessing today has implications for Kampala, Kira and Uganda as a whole.

 Our cities are growing, our population is increasing, and the demand for mobility is expanding. We must therefore, build a transport system that is not only capable of moving people, but one that supports economic activity, protects the environment and improves the quality of life of our citizens,” Minister Kabanda told a big excited audience.

The minister noted that Kiira Motors Corporation represents Uganda's ambition to build a strong domestic automotive industry and demonstrates that we can manufacture modern, high-quality and environmentally responsible vehicles here at home.

E-Bus Xpress Kiira Ltd, on the other hand, Kabanda said, is taking that locally manufactured technology into our communities and putting it to work in addressing one of the country’s - most pressing urban challenges - public transportation.

“This is the connection between manufacturing and service delivery, between innovation and practical solutions, and between the vision of industrialisation and the everyday lives of Ugandans,” she stated.

The significance of the E-Bus Xpress initiative that will cover all the major cities in Uganda, goes beyond the buses themselves.

It is about creating employment and developing skills. It is about supporting local value chains. It is about embracing digital technology through cashless payments, connectivity and telematics. It is about improving safety and the passenger experience. Most importantly, it is about demonstrating that Uganda can develop solutions to its own challenges using its own people, institutions and industries.

Kabanda said the green mobility service is consistent with the national development priorities and the country’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth. It is also aligned with the vision for a modern, integrated and efficient transport system for the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, as envisaged under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Multi-Modal Urban Transport Master Plan.

This particular vision seeks to improve public transport across Kampala and the surrounding municipalities, providing more efficient mobility, reducing congestion and supporting the transformation of Kampala into a modern and smart city.

The E-Bus Xpress ,MD, Eng. Kavuma ,said the expanded green mobility service will offer passengers in Kiira Municipality scheduled, professional operations; clean, air-conditioned buses fitted with modern comfort, connectivity and safety features; and a safer, more dignified and affordable travel experience.

Kavuma explained that because the E-bus Xpress fleet is fully electric, every journey is completed with zero tailpipe emissions, contributing directly to cleaner air and healthier communities across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.

He said that the service is also built around convenience and transparency in how passengers pay their fares.

“Our cashless payment ecosystem includes Mobile Money, through MTN MoMo and Airtel Money merchant and USSD codes, for the everyday mobile-money user; a reusable Transport Card for corporate clients and the general public, offering the shortest payment journey; a Smart Wristband designed specifically for primary and secondary school pupils, powered by an integrated multi- network platform on *272*80#; and the EBX Connect App, giving smartphone users on both Android and iOS convenient access to fare payment and related services,” Kavuma added .

The Mayor of Kira municipality , Allan Bulamu ,welcomed the E-mobility solutions being introduced by E-bus - noting that Uganda needs to continuously think about the future of public transport systems which should be clean , smart , timely and sustainable .

“Our country should not be left behind by the rest of the world in adopting clean mobility technologies . We need electric buses and trains for our cities to reduce pollution and the time people spend traveling which will ultimately improve the quality of life and increase  productivity of people in the cities and urban centers,” Bulamu argued.

The Mayor called for the integration of transport networks across the Kampala Metropolitan Area so that E-Bus Express services can connect with rail, road and other modes of transport to create a seamless passenger transport system.

He further  called for the implementation of plans to provide dedicated bus lanes, designated stages, passenger shelters and other facilities, while ensuring that the infrastructure is safe and accessible to the public.

Bulamu cautioned against excluding existing taxi operators from the new transport developments, urging authorities to ensure that they are incorporated into the evolving public transport system.

Eng. Jacob Byamukama, the Deputy Director of Transport and Roads Management at  KCCA, said the electric buses would improve the passenger travel experience while contributing to the reduction of traffic congestion in the city. 

However, he acknowledged that operating a bus system in the centre of Kampala would be challenging because the city currently has no dedicated bus lanes, forcing buses to compete for road space with other forms of traffic.

E-Bus Express Board Chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Freddie Mugunga urged the Minister for Kampala and other authorities to allocate additional routes to the company, saying it is ready to deploy 100 buses across the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area before the end of the year. 

He said the company ultimately plans to deploy up to 1,000 electric buses across major cities in Uganda by 2030.

Speaking at the launch of the Kira Municipality routes, Ibrahim Senyonga, General Manager of the Enterprise Business Unit (EBU) at MTN Uganda, said MTN would provide the cashless payment system, allowing passengers to pay their fares without carrying physical cash.

He added that MTN had also deployed internet services on the buses and would work to ensure uninterrupted connectivity as much as possible.

The launch of the new routes follows what the company describes as a successful pilot and rollout project in the Jinja area, which began in November 2024.

The service introduced daily electric bus transport along the Jinja–Iganga and Jinja–Nakibizi corridors using a fully cashless payment system.

According to the company, the service initially transported about 300,000 passengers during the early stages of the rollout and has since carried about 3.5 million passengers, demonstrating strong commuter demand despite operating a fleet of only seven buses.

The event was also attended by two other E-Bus Xpress board members, Thatcher Nakimuli Mpanga and Moses Witta Mbubi.

Editor:msserwanga@gmail.com