By Karim Were
FORT PORTAL —Fort Portal City is undergoing a major cleaning and beautification exercise ahead of the arrival of the remains of the late Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, with authorities stepping up preparations to receive thousands of mourners and visitors expected during the funeral ceremonies.
The exercise, which started on Monday, has seen city authorities and other stakeholders remove garbage, plant trees and flowers, paint walkways and improve public spaces along major roads leading to Karuziika Palace and the royal tombs.
The city has also increased efforts to improve pedestrian safety and the appearance of key routes as it prepares for the return of the King’s remains on Friday.
Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire confirmed the arrival of the remains while speaking to journalists in Kampala on Wednesday.
“The Omuguta (remains of King Oyo) will be arriving in Uganda on Friday. Today, Wednesday, is the last day we are meeting here for condolence. Tomorrow (Thursday) will be Parliament for his tribute, and Friday we will be preparing to receive him before we head to Fort Portal,” Rwomiire said.
Following the arrival in Uganda, the remains are expected to be transported to Tooro, where mourners will have an opportunity to pay their final respects to the late monarch.
#City prepares for mourners
Fort Portal City authorities have intensified the cleaning campaign as part of preparations for an expected increase in the number of people travelling to the city for the funeral ceremonies.
The exercise is focused particularly on roads and public spaces connecting the city centre to Karuziika Palace and the royal tombs, where preparations for the King’s final rites are underway.
Garbage has been removed from several areas, while flowers and trees have been planted to improve the appearance of the city.
Walkways have also been painted, and other public spaces have received attention as authorities seek to present Fort Portal as a clean and welcoming city during the mourning period.
Elizabeth Kegonzi, the deputy mayor of Fort Portal Central Division, said the exercise was not only intended to prepare the city for visitors but also to honour King Oyo, whom she described as an advocate for environmental conservation.
“The King was an advocate for the environment and we have planted many trees around town to remember him. We are also doing cleaning. As a city, we are going to receive many visitors from across the world, and we want them to find our place looking clean,” Kegonzi said.
She urged residents to maintain the cleanliness achieved through the campaign even after the funeral ceremonies.
#Environmental legacy
The beautification campaign has also been linked to King Oyo’s interest in environmental conservation.
According to Kegonzi, the late King championed efforts to protect River Mpanga and encouraged environmental conservation initiatives across the Tooro region.
The planting of trees and flowers in different parts of the city is therefore being presented as part of the tribute to his environmental advocacy.
Along the Fort Portal Secondary School-Kabudaire road, roadside sections have been decorated with 3D paintings depicting the late King and commemorating his contribution to environmental conservation in Tooro.
Portraits of King Oyo have also been displayed at various locations around the city.
At the first roundabout and other points along routes leading towards Karuziika Palace, potted flowers have been placed as part of the beautification campaign.
The measures have transformed some of the city’s main approaches as authorities prepare for the arrival of the royal cortege.
#Roads leading to palace upgraded
Infrastructure improvements have also formed part of the preparations.
Along Kyebambe Road, one of the major routes into Fort Portal and towards Karuziika Palace, renovation works are ongoing.
Among the improvements is the painting of walkways leading towards the palace’s main gate.
Authorities have also increased pedestrian crossing points along the road in anticipation of large crowds.
A section that previously had one zebra crossing now has three, providing pedestrians with additional points at which to cross the road.
The changes are particularly important because the funeral ceremonies are expected to attract large numbers of people, increasing pedestrian movement along roads leading to the palace.
The improvements are intended to support the movement of mourners while contributing to the broader facelift of the city.
#Palace preparations intensify
Preparations have also intensified at Karuziika Palace, the official residence of the Tooro monarch.
The palace is expected to become one of the main focal points for mourners following the arrival of King Oyo’s remains.
The access road to the palace has been tarmacked, while drainage channels have been constructed to improve access and manage water around the palace grounds.
Additional tents have also been erected to accommodate the anticipated large number of mourners and visitors.
The preparations are aimed at ensuring that the palace and surrounding areas are able to handle the crowds expected during the mourning period and subsequent funeral activities.
The improvements also come as Tooro Kingdom and local authorities coordinate arrangements for the King’s final journey.
#King Oyo’s final return
King Oyo had been away from his official palace in Fort Portal for several months before his death.
His remains will now be returned to Karuziika Palace, where mourners are expected to gather to pay their last respects.
The return of the remains is expected to mark an important stage in the funeral programme as the people of Tooro prepare to bid farewell to a monarch who ascended the throne as a child and remained at the centre of the kingdom’s cultural life for more than three decades.
Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV became Omukama in 1995 following the death of his father, King Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III.
He was only three years old at the time of his accession.
Over the years, he grew from a child monarch into an adult cultural leader and became closely associated with efforts to promote Tooro’s cultural heritage, tourism and environmental conservation.
His death at the age of 34 has triggered mourning across Tooro and beyond, with cultural, political and community leaders paying tribute to his life and reign.
#Residents urged to maintain cleanliness
As Fort Portal prepares to receive mourners from different parts of Uganda and visitors from abroad, city authorities have appealed to residents to take responsibility for maintaining the cleanliness of public spaces.
Kegonzi said the environmental campaign should not end with the funeral.
She called on residents to continue observing proper waste disposal and maintaining clean surroundings after the mourning period.
The appeal reflects a broader concern among city authorities that the improvements made ahead of the funeral should contribute to lasting changes in the city’s appearance and environmental management.
For residents, the preparations have also provided an opportunity to remember the late King through practical actions associated with issues he championed during his reign.
The tree planting, cleaning and beautification exercises therefore serve both an immediate purpose — preparing Fort Portal for the expected influx of mourners — and a longer-term objective of promoting environmental responsibility.
#A city prepares to receive its King
With the arrival of King Oyo’s remains expected on Friday, attention in Fort Portal has increasingly shifted towards the final preparations.
From the city centre to Kyebambe Road, the Fort Portal Secondary School-Kabudaire road and the approaches to Karuziika Palace, authorities and residents are working to ensure the city is ready.
The display of the late King’s portraits, planting of trees and flowers, cleaning of streets, painting of walkways and improvement of pedestrian facilities have given the city a distinctive appearance ahead of the funeral ceremonies.
At Karuziika Palace, road, drainage and accommodation arrangements are also being completed as the kingdom prepares to receive mourners.
For the people of Tooro, the preparations represent more than a city beautification campaign. They are part of the collective effort to honour a King whose reign began when he was a child and whose death has left the kingdom preparing for both a final farewell and a new chapter in its history.
As the royal remains return to Uganda, Fort Portal is preparing to receive mourners with a city that authorities hope will reflect the dignity of the occasion and the environmental values associated with the late Omukama.
**Source:🇺🇬 Be Blessed
