Fort Portal / Kampala — August 27, 2026-Reports that Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has died circulated widely on Thursday, with some reports claiming that the monarch died while receiving treatment in the United States.
However, Tooro Kingdom has not confirmed his death. Instead, the Kingdom said the 34-year-old King is in critical condition and appealed to the public to pray for him and avoid spreading unconfirmed information.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said the King was in a critical condition and asked the people of Tooro, as well as his friends and well-wishers, to keep him in their thoughts and prayers.
“This is to inform you that His Majesty King Oyo is currently in a critical condition,” the statement said.
The Kingdom did not disclose what the King is suffering from, where he is receiving treatment, or provide further details about his condition.
It instead called for calm, warning the public against speculation, rumours and information that had not been confirmed through official Kingdom channels. The Kingdom said further updates would be provided “as and when appropriate.”
The statement comes weeks after the Kingdom dismissed reports about the King’s health.
On August 3, Tooro Kingdom said reports about the Omukama’s health were false and misleading. It said King Oyo was in good health and was abroad for official engagements and further studies.
On Thursday, however, several media outlets and sources said to be close to the royal family reported that the King had died after battling cancer. Among the outlets carrying the reports were Spy Uganda, ChimpReports and Uganda Mirror.
The reports could not be independently verified, and the Tooro Kingdom had not announced the death of the monarch.
King Oyo, born on April 16, 1992, became Omukama of Tooro in September 1995 at the age of three following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III.
He has since become one of Uganda’s most prominent cultural leaders, with his reign associated with programmes in education, healthcare, environmental conservation, tourism and youth empowerment.
For now, the official position from Tooro Kingdom is that King Oyo is alive but in critical condition.
As reports of his alleged death continue to circulate, the Kingdom has urged the public to rely on official communication and allow the royal family to provide updates.
This is a developing story.
