Tooro Kingdom Sidelines Prime Minister in Royal Funeral Arrangements
Fort Portal, Uganda — The Office of the Musuuga, head of the Babiito Clan, has issued a formal directive outlining the protocols for the funeral rites and succession following the passing of His Majesty Dr. Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV—conspicuously omitting the Kingdom’s Prime Minister from the arrangements.
In what is locally referred to as Ekintu Kya Ababiito (an exclusive affair of the royal Babiito clan), the Prime Minister, Owek. Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, has been sidelined from the burial preparations, with authority vested instead in the traditional clan leadership.
Authority Vested in the Musuuga
According to a press release dated 29th August 2026, a formal meeting held on 28th August 2026 at Karuziika Palace resolved that the Office of the Musuuga holds “authority and custodianship over all cultural ceremonies of the Kingdom arising from the demise of the King”.
The Musuuga, as Head of the Babiito Clan, is responsible for “convening and presiding over all meetings connected with the funeral, for directing preparation of the burial arrangements, and for overseeing the succession protocol from beginning to end”.
The Nine Days of Mourning
In accordance with Tooro custom, the official mourning period preceding burial shall run for nine days, commencing upon the arrival of the body of His Majesty at Karuziika Palace. The body will be transported directly from the airport to the Palace at Kabarole, in observance of the established custom that “the body of the King may not be moved from place to place”.
Succession Committee Formed
A twenty-one-member Committee has been constituted from among the elders of the Babiito Clan to carry out the succession protocol. The Committee, chaired by Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, includes religious leaders such as Msgr. Dr. Isaac Mayombo and Fr. Dr. Charles Oyo, alongside various clan members and officials.
The Committee’s mandate covers identification of the successor to the throne, formal announcement to stakeholders, and preparation of the traditions and cultural ceremonies attached to the succession.
Official Communication Channel
A dedicated Committee comprising Fr. Dr. Charles Oyo, Mr. Musinguzi Moses, and Omub. Isaac Rwabwoni has been constituted to handle all official communication from the Palace. For liaison between the Kingdom and the Government of Uganda, Hon. Tom Butime has been identified as the official contact person.
The Prime Minister, who recently described the King’s passing as an “immeasurable loss” to the royal family and the people of Tooro, had previously noted that succession plans were in place and that “the continuity of the royal lineage is assured”. His absence from the official funeral arrangements highlights the traditional protocols that place cultural authority firmly within the Babiito Clan’s custodianship.
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