King Oyo of Uganda's Tooro dies at 34

King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the Omukama of Uganda's Tooro Kingdom, has died aged 34, the kingdom said.

The prime minister of the Tooro Kingdom said in a statement late Thursday that the king died at about 10:00 pm. Local media reported that he died while receiving treatment in the United States after weeks of speculation about his deteriorating health.

King Oyo succeeded his father, who died of a heart attack in 1995, after ascending to the throne at the age of three. He was crowned after turning 18.

Guinness World Records recognised him last year as the world's youngest reigning monarch.

Uganda is a republic led by President Yoweri Museveni, but it officially recognises traditional kingdoms, which mainly serve as cultural institutions with limited political power. The Tooro region in western Uganda has about 2.1 million people.