Police have issued traffic and security guidelines ahead of the burial of Tooro King Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV scheduled for Saturday September 12 in Fort Portal City. The funeral service will be held at St John’s Cathedral starting at 9 AM up to 1 PM before the body is taken to the Karambi Royal Burial Grounds for burial.
Speaking to journalists at St Johns Cathedral in Fort Portal on Friday, Kituma Rusoke, Uganda Police Force spokesperson said all people attending the funeral service will be subjected to security checks.
He said that police and other security agencies like the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces will be in charge of ensuring law and order on that day.
Rusoke said ambulances will be stationed at designated points to provide first aid and other emergency medical services to members of the public who may need them.
He urged mourners to remain vigilant, peaceful and calm and to follow all security guidelines issued by the police. Police will also establish a lost-and-found desk to register property lost during the funeral activities and help reunite it with the rightful owners.
Rusoke urged the public to follow the traffic, security and cultural guidelines to ensure that Omukama Oyo is accorded a dignified, secure and respectful burial.
Vincent Twesige the Rwenzori West Police spokesperson revealed that several roads in and around Fort Portal City will be cut off or diverted starting from 6:30am to control traffic and facilitate the movement of mourners and the funeral procession.
Along Fort Portal-Kampala road, Twesige said traffic will be cut off at Mpanga Bridge and diverted through Kamwenge Road through Harubaho Centre to Kachwamba before joining Kasese Road.
However from midday, traffic at Kachwamba Trading Centre will also be cut off the funeral procession to proceed to Karambi Royal Burial Grounds which are located along the Fort Portal – Kasese road.
Twesige added that at midday, motorists coming from Kasese towards Fort Portal will be diverted at Kachwamba and use the St Stephen’s Church-Buteebo-Bwamba Road before accessing the city.
On the Fort Portal-Bundibugyo Road, traffic will be diverted at Fuelex Petrol Station through Kabundaire Road to the Kampala Road. Police will also close the roundabout at Bank of Uganda and the main roundabout in the city.
Twesige added that Police has also put in place designated parking areas where dignitaries will be allowed to park and these will include Kyebambe Girls Secondary School, Kyebambe Model Primary School and Kabarole Primary School. He stressed that all vehicles and boda boda riders will not be allowed to access the roads affected by the traffic cut-offs and diversions. Police will also establish a lost-and-found desk to register property and persons lost during the funeral activities and help reunite them with the rightful owners and families.
Vincent Mugume the Tooro Kingdom spokesperson said the body of Omukama Oyo will lie in state inside St John’s Cathedral for 30 minutes before the funeral service begins.
The service will be led by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu.
He said only four speeches will be delivered after the church service. They will be from Princess Ruth Komuntale Nsemere the sister of Omukama Oyo, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, Musuuga Charles Kamurasi the head of the Babiito royal clan and President Museveni or his representative.
After the speeches the body will be taken to Karambi Royal Burial Grounds where the final burial rites will be conducted.
Mugume said only 30 vehicles will be allowed to form part of the official procession to Karambi while other mourners will walk to the burial grounds.
He said, in accordance with Tooro cultural traditions, not everyone will be allowed to enter the burial area and the final burial rites will be conducted by the designated traditional ritualists known as abanyamirwa who are headed by the chief priest ( omusuuna).
Omukama Oyo died on August 27 from United States of America where he was receiving treatment. He will be laid to rest on a day the kingdom would have celebrated his 31st coronation anniversary-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
