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A change of throne in Tooro, one of Uganda’s four officially recognized traditional kingdoms, has been accompanied by a major dispute. Fifty-six-year-old journalist Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has been chosen as the kingdom’s new ruler.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that foreign media outlets carried the news.
Tooro was ruled for 31 years by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who ascended the throne in 1995 at the age of three. Oyo, once known as the world’s youngest monarch, died of cancer last month at the age of 34.
Under tradition, the late king was expected to be succeeded by one of his recognized sons. Some members of the royal family said Oyo’s will instructed that his minor son should become the next king.
However, the child has not been presented to the public and was not recognized by the 21-member Babiito clan committee responsible for choosing the king. The late monarch was not legally married, and little information is available about his wife and sons.
King Oyo’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, demanded that the will be respected. Nevertheless, the succession committee approved Kijanangoma’s candidacy, saying the selection process had been conducted in accordance with Tooro traditions.
Kemigisa described the decision as the announcement of a second king. She said it was deeply painful for her as a mother that ceremonies for the new king were being held just a few meters from the place where her son was buried. According to the queen, Oyo’s son, who lives in Texas in the United States, had been expected to return to the country, but the intense succession dispute prevented this.
Tooro Kingdom Information Minister Charles Mwanguhya said no potential heir had emerged, strengthening the conclusion that King Oyo had left no son.
Kijanangoma and the late King Oyo are grandsons of Rukidi III, the 11th king who ruled Tooro from 1928 to 1965. Kijanangoma was one of several candidates considered for the throne. The candidates also included Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who plays for a well-known amateur football club in England. The succession committee said the captain and goalkeeper of South East Dons declined the offer, citing other commitments.
After his official announcement, Kijanangoma pledged that the palace would be open to the public. He said he would focus on unity and development, adding that although he held the title of king, he could not act alone and would have to work together with the people.
Uganda’s traditional kings have no formal political powers. However, they retain cultural influence and enjoy significant support in the communities they lead.
Uganda has four main kingdoms. The largest and most influential is the Buganda kingdom, which covers the central part of the country, including the capital Kampala. The kingdoms were abolished in 1967, but the government of President Yoweri Museveni restored them in the early 1990s.
The government said the move was intended to strengthen cultural pride and national unity. During the succession dispute, the authorities supported the Babiito clan’s selection of Kijanangoma. Attorney General Sam Mayanja said the coronation had been authorized because no formal complaint had been filed against Kijanangoma.
The government has announced the date of the coronation, which Museveni is expected to attend. The president’s son and army commander, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has also publicly supported Kijanangoma.
Born in 1970, Kijanangoma grew up in Kidukuru village, about 300 kilometers from the city of Fort Portal. He graduated in mass communication from Uganda’s prestigious Makerere University in 1999.
Kijanangoma worked as a broadcaster for more than 20 years in Uganda and neighboring Rwanda, including at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). His close ties with communities, contact with leaders and knowledge of national issues during his journalism career may help him in his new role.
The new king said he wanted to use the connections he built during his 21-year journalism career for the benefit of his people. His mother, Assimwe Yusta Kijanangoma, said her son had been raised with a strong attachment to tradition and was ready for his new position.
