FORT PORTAL — The Tooro Kingdom has confirmed that His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV is in critical condition, appealing to his subjects and well-wishers to pray for the monarch and refrain from spreading unverified information.
The announcement marks a sharp change from an earlier communication by the Kingdom, which dismissed reports about the Omukama’s health and said he was in good health while abroad on official engagements and continuing with his studies.
In a fresh official communication issued by the Prime Minister’s Office of Tooro Kingdom on Thursday, the Kingdom said the King was now critically ill.
“This is to inform you that King Oyo is currently in a critical condition,” the statement said. “At this difficult time, we humbly ask the people of Tooro and our friends to keep His Majesty in your prayers.”
The statement did not disclose the nature of the illness, where the King is receiving treatment or provide further details about his condition.
It instead urged the public to exercise restraint as the Kingdom manages the situation. “We equally appeal to everyone to refrain from speculation, rumours or sharing unverified information regarding His Majesty’s condition,” the statement said.
The Kingdom acknowledged the anxiety that the announcement could cause among the public but appealed for calm and respect for the King and the royal family.
“We understand the concern and anxiety that news of this nature will naturally cause, but we ask for calm, restraint and respect for His Majesty and the Royal Family,” the statement said.
The Kingdom said further information would be communicated through its official channels. “The official channels of Tooro Kingdom will provide updates as and when appropriate,” it said.
The communication was also shared by Ahurra Ivan Araali, Deputy Youth Minister in the Tooro Kingdom and a regional youth leader, who repeated the appeal for prayers and responsible communication.
“At this difficult and deeply concerning time, we humbly ask the people of Tooro, our friends and well-wishers in Uganda and across the world to keep His Majesty in their thoughts and prayers,” Araali said.
He similarly urged the public not to speculate about the King’s health. “For now, we ask that we stand together in prayer for His Majesty,” he said.
The latest announcement comes weeks after the Kingdom moved to dismiss what it described as false reports about the monarch’s health.
On August 3, the Tooro Kingdom said it had “noted with concern” reports concerning the King’s health and sought to reassure the public that the Omukama was well.
“We wish to assure all our people that His Majesty is in good health,” the Kingdom said at the time, adding that he was abroad undertaking official engagements and continuing with his studies.
The contrasting statements have since heightened public interest in the King’s condition, although the Kingdom has not provided an explanation for the change or disclosed details about what has happened in the intervening period.
King Oyo, who was born on April 16, 1992, became Omukama of Tooro at the age of three following the death of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, in 1995. He was subsequently crowned as Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
For decades, his reign has been closely associated with the cultural and institutional revival of the Tooro Kingdom and with a generation of young Ugandans who grew up watching the child monarch become an adult King.
His health therefore carries significance beyond the royal household; the Omukama remains a central cultural figure for the people of Tooro and the wider Rwenzori region.
The Kingdom’s appeal for restraint comes at a moment when information about public figures can travel faster through social media than official institutions can verify it. In the case of a traditional institution, where the health of a monarch is not merely a private medical matter but also a matter of public cultural concern, rumours can acquire a political and social life of their own.
For now, however, the Kingdom has asked the public to wait for verified information. “His Majesty King Oyo is currently in a critical condition,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.