Oyo Nyimba, who died on August 27 aged 34, became king of Tooro in 1995 at just three years old, making him the world’s youngest reigning monarch at the time.

His body arrived at Entebbe International Airport aboard a chartered flight, where President Yoweri Museveni joined a group of dignitaries, members of the royal family and mourners to receive him.

Museveni walked to the casket, which was draped in Uganda’s national flag and the flag of Tooro Kingdom, laid a wreath and bowed before it.

The casket was later transferred to a military helicopter for transportation to Tooro Kingdom in western Uganda, where mourning ceremonies will be held ahead of his burial on September 12.

The king’s death has drawn widespread mourning in Tooro, where he remained a prominent cultural figure despite Uganda’s status as a constitutional republic.

“We don’t really believe that his majesty is no longer with us, (it is) as if we are still dreaming and I wish it could really be a dream,” said lawmaker Jennifer Mujungu, whose constituency is within the kingdom.

Davis Mugenyi, a member of the royal family who attended the reception at the airport, described the death as particularly painful because of the king’s relatively young age.

“It is a painful moment for us… someone who went laughing, someone who had a whole life ahead of him,” he said.

Oyo Nyimba was among Uganda’s traditional monarchs whose institutions survived the end of colonial rule and continue to hold cultural and social significance. His accession at the age of three attracted international attention, with images from his coronation showing the young king seated on the throne beneath an oversized crown and royal robes.

Beyond his traditional role, Oyo Nyimba also served as a United Nations ambassador advocating for the fight against HIV and AIDS. The UN joined those paying tribute to him following his death.

The king was unmarried, but Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said last week that he had left an heir, assuring the continuity of the Crown.

King Oyo's body arrived at Entebbe International Airport aboard a chartered flight.
President Yoweri Museveni joined a group of dignitaries, members of the royal family and mourners to receive him.
Family members and other officials receive the coffin at Entebbe International Airport.
There was a sombre mood as the police escorted the coffin from the plane.
Oyo Nyimba, who died on August 27 aged 34, became king of Tooro in 1995 at just three years old, making him the world’s youngest reigning monarch at the time.