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The death of King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III at his royal palace in Fort Portal on August 26, 1995, marked a sudden turning point in the history of the Tooro Kingdom and opened the way for his three-year-old son, Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, to become the next Omukama.
Olimi III’s passing came unexpectedly and brought an abrupt end to his reign, leaving the kingdom facing the unusual situation of preparing to install a very young heir as its traditional leader.
Born on September 9, 1945, at the Royal Palace in Kabarole, Olimi III was the son of Rukirabasaija Sir George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, who ruled Tooro from 1928 until his death in 1965, and Lady Byanjeru Kezia Bonabana.
Olimi III grew up in the royal family alongside his siblings, including his elder sister Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, who later became a prominent figure in Uganda’s public life.
He received his early education at Budo Primary School before joining Nyakasura School in Fort Portal. He later continued his studies at Sherborne School in Dorset, England, and Makerere University in Kampala.
Olimi III became Omukama of Tooro following the death of his father, King George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, who passed away on December 21, 1965.
He was officially crowned at St John’s Cathedral in Kabarole on March 2, 1966, beginning his first reign as the cultural leader of the Tooro people.
However, his time on the throne was interrupted after the government of President Apollo Milton Obote abolished Uganda’s traditional kingdoms in 1967.
Following the abolition of the kingdoms, Olimi III was forced into exile and spent nearly two decades living in neighbouring Kenya before eventually returning to Uganda.
After his return in 1986, Olimi III joined Uganda’s diplomatic service and took on various government responsibilities.
Between 1987 and 1990, he served as Minister Counsellor at the Ugandan High Commission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, before later becoming Uganda’s ambassador to Cuba from 1990 to 1993.
His opportunity to return to the Tooro throne came after the restoration of Uganda’s traditional kingdoms by the government of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
On July 24, 1993, Olimi III was formally restored and proclaimed as the Omukama of Tooro, marking the revival of the kingdom’s traditional leadership after years without official recognition.
But only two years after returning to the throne, tragedy struck the royal family when Olimi III died suddenly at his palace in Fort Portal.
The late king reportedly suffered a heart attack on August 26, 1995, bringing his reign to an unexpected end at the age of 49.
His death created a unique succession challenge for Tooro because his heir, Prince Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, was only three years old at the time.
Despite his young age, Oyo was proclaimed the new Omukama of Tooro, becoming one of the youngest monarchs in modern history.
His coronation took place on September 12, 1995, attracting international attention and earning him recognition as the world’s youngest reigning monarch at the time.
The young king’s accession placed Tooro in the global spotlight, with his childhood years becoming closely followed by both Ugandans and international observers.
King Oyo went on to reign for more than three decades, becoming one of Uganda’s most recognised traditional leaders before his death on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 while receiving medical treatment in the United States.
His death has once again brought attention to the history of the Tooro monarchy, including the sudden passing of his father more than three decades earlier.
The two deaths created major moments of transition for the kingdom, with both occasions requiring careful handling of royal traditions and succession processes.
As Tooro mourns King Oyo, memories of King Olimi III’s final days and the events that followed his death remain an important part of the kingdom’s history.
The passing of Olimi III at the royal palace in Fort Portal changed the course of Tooro’s leadership, eventually leading to the rise of a young prince who would become one of the longest-serving monarchs in Uganda’s modern era.
