Uganda’s ancient Tooro Kingdom has been plunged into a succession crisis following the rejection by the family of the late monarch, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, of the royal clan’s choice of a new king.
The royal clan’s succession committee on Wednesday named the late monarch’s cousin, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, as his successor.
Kijanangoma, who works as a television anchor with Uganda’s public broadcaster, UBC, was selected following the death of Oyo, who died on August 27 at the age of 34 while undergoing cancer treatment in the United States.
However, the late king’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, and his sister rejected the decision on Thursday, insisting that Oyo had left a will naming his son as his successor.
Queen Kemigisa described the succession committee as a “self-appointed group of clan members” and accused it of selecting a new monarch despite allegedly being aware of the contents of the late king’s will.
She also alleged that the Ugandan military had placed members of her family under house arrest.
The identity of Oyo’s son and the boy’s mother has remained undisclosed, adding another layer of uncertainty to the succession dispute.
The late monarch had not publicly acknowledged having a son before his death. The existence of the child was disclosed after his death by Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki.
The succession dispute has also attracted comments from prominent Ugandan journalist and Oyo’s relative, Andrew Mwenda, who said on social media platform X that a son could only succeed his father in Tooro if he was born to a queen.
Mwenda also questioned the absence of a publicly available photograph of the alleged heir.
The development has raised concerns over the future of the kingdom, which, despite Uganda being a republic, remains an important traditional institution with considerable cultural and social influence.
Oyo became the world’s youngest reigning monarch in 1995 at the age of three, following the death of his father. His coronation was attended by Uganda’s long-serving President Yoweri Museveni.
His reign was initially overseen by relatives serving as regents until he attained the age of 18 in 2010.
Tooro Prime Minister Armstrong has appealed for calm, urging all parties to allow the succession process to proceed peacefully and credibly.
He said the process should not be determined through “competing announcements, confrontation, or attempts to establish facts on the ground” while the late king was yet to be buried.
Oyo’s funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday, with attention now focused on how the royal family and clan authorities will resolve the succession dispute.
Share this content:
About The Author
