Fort Portal — The 30th coronation anniversary of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was celebrated in style on Friday at the Karuzika Palace in Fort Portal, with national and local leaders in attendance. The event not only marked three decades of the Tooro monarch’s reign but also reignited calls for the 33-year-old king to find a wife and secure the future of the kingdom.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who represented President Yoweri Museveni at the ceremony, congratulated King Oyo on the milestone and praised the kingdom’s contribution to social and economic transformation.
“I am humbled to represent His Excellency at this historic celebration. I congratulate His Highness on this milestone and extend appreciation from Government to the kingdom for its huge contribution to improving the lives of its people,” she said.
Amid cheers from the audience, Speaker Among also joined others in encouraging the young king to consider marriage.
“Your Majesty, you know I am a cattle keeper. I am going to pay all the cattle for the bride price if you get a lady to marry,” she told the monarch, drawing loud applause.
Other leaders echoed similar sentiments, noting that as the cultural head of Tooro, King Oyo carries the responsibility of ensuring the kingdom’s continuity. They emphasized that marriage and raising a family would strengthen the cultural institution and inspire confidence among his subjects.
King Oyo, who ascended the throne in 1995 at the age of three, has been celebrated for steering the kingdom through modernization while preserving tradition. The 30th anniversary, locally referred to as “Empango”, attracted dignitaries, cultural leaders, and subjects from across Tooro and beyond.
The ceremony was filled with colorful cultural performances, expressions of loyalty, and calls for unity and development.
As the celebrations ended, the message was clear: the people of Tooro value their young king’s leadership but are also eager to see him take the next step — finding a queen to stand by his side and safeguard the legacy of the kingdom.
