Tension and uncertainty have gripped Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal as security agencies tighten their grip on the royal compound ahead of the burial of Tooro’s fallen monarch, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The heightened security operation has triggered an outburst among some mourners and palace visitors after restrictions were imposed on access to the palace, with reports that media personnel, mobile phones and cameras will not be allowed into areas designated for the burial rites.
The measures have transformed the usually busy royal compound into a heavily guarded zone, with police and Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel deployed at strategic points around the palace.
Top security officials, including Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba, are reported to have camped at Karuziika as security teams prepare for the final rites of the late monarch.
King Oyo, who died in the United States on August 27 aged 34 after battling aggressive cancer, is scheduled to be laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs on Saturday.
His death has plunged Tooro into mourning while simultaneously exposing deep divisions within the kingdom over the question of succession.
Security sweep at Karuziika
The security operation reportedly intensified on Friday morning when police and military personnel ordered people who were not residents of the palace to leave the premises to allow what security described as a “security sweeping” exercise.
According to a Palace correspondent, access to the compound has since been severely restricted, with everyone seeking to enter required to undergo clearance by security personnel stationed at the gates.
A security source familiar with the operation said the directive was issued after IGP Byakagaba arrived at the palace and identified what he considered security loopholes.
The source said the security teams were particularly concerned about the large number of people moving around the palace at a time when preparations for the burial were reaching their climax.
The tightening of security has raised questions among mourners and members of the media who had expected to cover the historic final farewell to a monarch who ascended the Tooro throne as a child and became one of the longest-serving traditional leaders in Uganda.
Phones, cameras restricted
The reported restrictions on mobile phones and cameras have become one of the most contentious aspects of the security operation.
People entering restricted sections of the palace have reportedly been warned against carrying or using recording devices.
The restrictions are understood to be aimed at controlling movement and preventing unauthorised photography or filming of sensitive royal rituals.
However, the measures have caused frustration among some journalists and other people who had travelled to Fort Portal hoping to document the final moments of the king’s funeral ceremonies.
For many Batooro, the burial represents a significant historical moment, given King Oyo’s long reign and the circumstances surrounding his death.
The decision to limit access to the royal compound therefore means that much of the ceremony inside the palace will remain inaccessible to the public and sections of the media.
Security officials have not publicly explained every detail of the restrictions, but police have separately announced a traffic management plan intended to ensure that the burial ceremony proceeds without disruption.
Roads closed
Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke and Rwenzori West Police spokesperson Vincent Twesige announced that several roads will be closed as part of measures to manage traffic and ensure a smooth burial ceremony.
The closures are expected to affect access to areas around Karuziika Palace and routes leading to the royal burial grounds. Police have also warned boda boda riders against entering restricted areas.
The directive is expected to affect thousands of people who normally rely on motorcycles to move around Fort Portal and surrounding areas.
Security officers are expected to enforce the restrictions throughout the burial period as authorities seek to prevent congestion around the palace and Karambi Royal Tombs.
The security deployment has also been reinforced by the presence of senior police and military commanders.
Their presence has underscored the sensitivity attached to the burial, particularly because of the succession dispute that has emerged following King Oyo’s death.
Succession crisis casts shadow
The burial comes at a particularly delicate moment for Tooro Kingdom. Instead of uniting the kingdom around the final farewell to the late monarch, the funeral period has been overshadowed by disagreements over who should succeed King Oyo.
Different royal figures and groups have expressed competing positions regarding the succession, with questions also emerging about the late king’s wishes and the procedures for choosing his successor.
The dispute has heightened tensions within the kingdom and increased the security sensitivity surrounding Karuziika Palace.
The Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa, has publicly expressed her position on the controversy, while other members of the royal family and kingdom establishment have also weighed in.
The disagreements have created an atmosphere of suspicion at a time when the kingdom would ordinarily be preparing for a period of mourning and reconciliation.
Security officials are therefore facing the difficult task of ensuring that the burial proceeds peacefully while preventing confrontations among rival groups.
Final farewell
King Oyo’s burial will mark the end of an extraordinary chapter in the history of Tooro.
He became Omukama while still a child and grew into the role over the years, presiding over the kingdom through periods of social, cultural and economic change.
His death has drawn mourners from across Uganda and beyond, with political, religious, cultural and royal leaders expected to pay their final respects. The body of the late king was received in Uganda before being taken to Tooro, where thousands of mourners have gathered to view and pay their respects.
At Karuziika, the atmosphere has alternated between grief, anticipation and anxiety as preparations for the burial have progressed.
The heavy security presence has now added another dimension to the occasion.
For the ordinary mourner, the restrictions mean that the final royal rites will be experienced from designated areas rather than from within the palace itself.
For journalists, the reported ban on phones and cameras presents an additional challenge in documenting an event of major historical significance.
But security officials appear determined to ensure that the burial proceeds according to the programme, with access tightly controlled and movement around the royal compound restricted.
As Tooro prepares to lower King Oyo into his final resting place, the kingdom faces the difficult task of moving beyond mourning and confronting the succession question that has emerged in the wake of his death.
For now, Karuziika remains under intense security watch. The palace gates are guarded, roads are being controlled and access is being carefully scrutinised.
And as mourners gather to bid farewell to their young king, the unprecedented security operation has ensured that the final royal ceremonies will take place under a cloud of secrecy and heightened tension.
Author Profile
- Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]
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