The body of the late Omukama of Tooro, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has arrived in Uganda, marking the start of a nine-day mourning period across the Tooro Kingdom running from September 4 to September 12, 2026 — the date set for his burial.
According to the Babiito Royal Clan, the mourning period follows established Tooro customs observed after the death of a reigning king. Clan spokesperson Moses Amooti has laid out several specific restrictions subjects are expected to observe during the nine days:
- No farming. Amooti explained that under tradition, farming activity is suspended for three days after the death of an ordinary person, four days for a member of the Babiito clan, and nine days for a reigning king.
- No marital relations. Men have been asked to leave their marital beds and abstain from sexual intimacy with their wives for the duration of the mourning period, a measure Amooti said is meant to ensure the rituals are fully observed and the late king is given the respect tradition requires.
- No loud music or entertainment. The clan has also appealed to bar owners, entertainment venues, and the public to avoid playing loud music during the period, calling it disrespectful to the kingdom’s grieving.
Amooti urged patience from the public, framing the restrictions as necessary for the kingdom to grieve without disturbance until the burial.
The nine-day period will formally end on September 12, when King Oyo — who ascended to the throne as a child and reigned for more than two decades — will be laid to rest.