The Government has unveiled a comprehensive Whole-of-Government plan to accord the late King of Tooro, His Royal Highness Rukirabasaija Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, a colourful, befitting and nationally representative official burial.
The Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, said the Government had mobilised ministries, security agencies and other key stakeholders to coordinate the burial arrangements following the death of the monarch on Friday, August 28, 2026, in Dallas, United States.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Thursday, September 3, Babalanda said the country had lost a young and promising monarch whose leadership and contribution to the people of Tooro would be remembered.
She said President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had taken a leading role in guiding the Government’s response to the national mourning period.
“As you may recall, the country on Friday, August 28, 2026, received the sombre news on the passing away of a young, iconic, promising and people-oriented monarch,” Babalanda said.
According to the minister, Cabinet, during its meeting chaired by President Museveni at State House Entebbe on Monday, August 31, paid tribute to the late monarch and directed the Prime Minister to coordinate a Whole-of-Government approach involving the public sector and other critical stakeholders.
The following day, Parliament received a statement from the Prime Minister and dedicated its sitting to paying tribute to the late king and debating his contribution to the socio-economic transformation of the Tooro Kingdom.
Babalanda said that as Parliament paid tribute to the monarch, the Prime Minister convened an Inter-Ministerial National Organising Committee involving representatives of the Royal Family and ministers from key government departments.
The committee included officials from the ministries responsible for Gender and Culture, the Presidency, Agriculture, Tourism, Public Service, Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs.
She said the National Organising Committee was briefed on arrangements agreed upon between the Government and the Tooro Kingdom.
While the arrival of the remains had initially been tentatively scheduled for Thursday, September 3, Babalanda announced that they would instead arrive at Entebbe International Airport on Friday, September 4, at 10am.
The minister said the Government would coordinate the funeral arrangements in a similar manner to the official burial accorded to the late Emorimor of Teso.
Under the arrangements, Government has put in place logistical support at five key venues: Entebbe International Airport, Karuzika Royal Palace in Tooro, Buziga Royal Residency in Kampala, St. John’s Cathedral, where the church service will be held, and Karambi Royal Tombs, the final resting place of the late monarch.
Government has provided tents, chairs, mobile toilets, cleaning teams and public address systems to support mourners and the funeral programme.
Babalanda said food would also be provided for mourners throughout the nine-day mourning period. The Office of the Chief of Defence Forces, under the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, will oversee the feeding arrangements at Buziga and Karuzika.
The funeral management arrangements have been assigned to A-Plus Funeral Home, which will handle the reception of the remains at the airport, executive funeral vehicles, portraits, condolence books, casket wreaths, the order of service, construction of the marble grave and the Royal Mausoleum.
“All the costs related to these arrangements are being covered by the Government,” Babalanda said.
Security and protocol arrangements will involve the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and Uganda Police Force, including military and police bands, pallbearers, a gun salute, crowd management and counter-terrorism operations.
The UPDF Engineers Brigade is also undertaking improvement works at Karuzika Royal Palace in preparation for the official mourning and burial ceremonies.
Government has further put in place protocol arrangements for delegations expected from royal families within Uganda and other parts of Africa.
Babalanda said the Government had also met the late monarch’s medical bills and the costs of repatriating his remains from Dallas through Nairobi to Entebbe.
The costs, she said, were paid by President Museveni through State House.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with the Kenyan authorities to ensure the smooth transit of the remains, while security agencies have taken charge of the safety of mourners and protection of property.
In addition, the Ministry of Health has organised a health camp in Tooro to provide treatment for minor ailments during the mourning period.
Babalanda commended President Museveni, the Prime Minister, ministers and other government agencies for what she described as a coordinated response aimed at giving the late Tooro monarch a dignified and memorable send-off.
She said the Whole-of-Government approach was intended to ensure that Ugandans, the people of Tooro and mourners from across the country and beyond were adequately supported during the period of national mourning.
