Business is booming around Karuziika Palace and throughout Fort Portal City as thousands of mourners converge for the burial of the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

Traders, hoteliers, food vendors, transporters and informal service providers report a sharp increase in demand in the final days leading up to Saturday’s interment at Karambi Royal Tombs.

Local restaurants and roadside food stalls are operating extended hours to serve the continuous flow of people paying their last respects. Lodges and hotels in Fort Portal and surrounding areas are reported to be fully booked, with some visitors forced to seek accommodation in nearby towns.

Transport operators on routes leading into the city have also recorded higher passenger volumes, while vendors selling water, soft drinks, traditional attire and mourning-related items have set up temporary stalls near the palace.

The influx is attributed to the national and regional significance of the late monarch, who reigned for 31 years and was widely regarded as a unifying cultural figure. Many Batooro living outside the kingdom, as well as well-wishers from other parts of Uganda and neighbouring countries, have travelled to Fort Portal for the final rites.

While the succession dispute continues to generate tension, the economic activity around the palace and the city reflects the scale of public interest in according King Oyo a befitting farewell.

Local leaders have called on traders and service providers to maintain order and fair pricing as the burial programme reaches its climax.