Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki has broken his silence on the circumstances surrounding the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV’s final days abroad, saying information about the King’s health was communicated in line with the monarch’s wishes.
Rwomiire said he deliberately maintained the position that King Oyo was abroad for studies and was doing well because that was what the late monarch had instructed him to communicate.
“As someone serving him, it was my responsibility to respect his wishes and protect his privacy. I did so faithfully and respectfully,” Rwomiire said.
The Prime Minister made the remarks in a statement addressed to the people of Tooro as preparations intensify to receive the King’s remains and accord him a dignified burial.
‘The information was according to his wishes’
Rwomiire said questions surrounding the information given to the public about King Oyo’s condition should be understood in the context of the monarch’s desire for privacy.
He said the Kingdom communicated that Oyo was abroad for studies and later that he was well because it was in accordance with the King’s “express wishes and direction.”
According to Rwomiire, the late King believed he was recovering and was looking forward to returning to Uganda and reuniting with his subjects for the 31st Empango celebrations.
He said Oyo did not want information about his health to cause unnecessary alarm among his people.
The explanation comes amid growing public discussion about the circumstances surrounding the King’s stay abroad and what was communicated about his health before his death.
Rwomiire: Wait until after the burial
Rather than engage in a public debate over the circumstances surrounding the King’s final days, Rwomiire said such questions should be addressed at the appropriate time and through the proper forum.
“Other matters have also been raised. This is neither the time nor the place to debate them,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the immediate priority should be receiving the King’s remains and giving him a dignified farewell.
“There will be a proper time and forum, after His Majesty has been laid to rest, to address any matters that require clarification. For now, everything else is secondary,” he added.
Calls for unity amid mourning
Rwomiire also called for restraint among Kingdom leaders, politicians, cultural leaders, public officials, journalists and social media users, warning that speculation and disagreements could deepen divisions within Tooro.
“We have lost our King. We have lost a son of Tooro whose life, leadership and service carried the name of our Kingdom far beyond our borders,” he said.
He urged Batooro to put aside competing narratives and concentrate on organising a dignified farewell for the late monarch.
The Prime Minister further warned against what he described as political or personal “posturing” during the mourning period.
“Moments like these require leadership, not posturing. They require less talking and more organising,” he said.
‘Words spoken in grief can deepen divisions’
Rwomiire also cautioned social media users against making statements that could inflame tensions within the Kingdom.
“Words spoken in moments of grief can deepen divisions that may take years to repair,” he warned.
He urged Batooro to uphold what he described as the Kingdom’s traditional values of dignity, respect, unity and love for Tooro.
Royal family asked to be left alone
The Prime Minister also appealed to the public and media to respect the privacy of the Royal Family and those who were closest to King Oyo.
He said the family’s grief was deeply personal and that they should be allowed to mourn without pressure, intrusion or speculation.
The appeal comes as preparations continue for the return of King Oyo’s remains and his burial in Tooro.
‘Tooro must come first’
Rwomiire said the manner in which Batooro respond to the King’s death will become part of the Kingdom’s history.
He called on the people of Tooro to unite behind the responsibility of giving their King a peaceful and honourable farewell.
“Our duty now is simple: to receive our King with honour, lay him to rest with dignity, and stand together as one people,” he said.
He added that future generations would remember not only that Tooro lost its King, but also how the Kingdom responded to his death.
“Let them remember a people who chose unity over division, service over posturing, and leadership over controversy,” Rwomiire said.
