Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Named King of Tooro Amid Succession Dispute

The succession of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has taken a dramatic turn after the Babiito royal clan succession committee announced Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new King of Tooro.

Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Named King of Tooro

Kijanangoma, a news anchor and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) and a cousin of the late King Oyo, was selected by the royal succession committee on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. His selection followed a process by the royal clan to identify a successor to King Oyo, who died in the United States on August 27 at the age of 34.

The announcement has, however, immediately opened a new chapter in the Tooro succession story, with members of King Oyo's immediate family rejecting the decision.

King Oyo's Family Rejects the Selection

Hours after Kijanangoma was announced, Princess Ruth Komuntale, the late king's sister, publicly rejected the decision. She said King Oyo had left a written will identifying his biological son as the heir to the Tooro throne.

Queen Mother Best Kemigisa has also rejected the succession committee's decision. According to Reuters, the Queen Mother argued that the late king's will should be considered before another person is installed as monarch.

The dispute has therefore created two competing positions: the royal clan succession committee's selection of Kijanangoma and the late king's family's claim that Oyo's son should inherit the throne.

Questions Surrounding King Oyo's Heir

The succession controversy is also linked to the reported existence of a son of King Oyo.

Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki previously stated that King Oyo had left behind a son who was his heir, although the child's identity has not publicly been established. King Oyo was unmarried and had not previously been publicly known to have a child.

A copy of a section of a 2022 will has also been cited in the dispute. It reportedly states that if Oyo were survived by a son who was legally recognized as his biological son, that son would be his heir to the throne.

This has made the question of who has the legitimate right to succeed King Oyo one of the most closely watched issues in Uganda.

Prime Minister Calls for Calm

Amid the disagreement, Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki has called for calm. He said there should be an opportunity to examine the will, hear the different positions, and consider Tooro customs, applicable law and the institutions responsible for determining succession.

The call for calm comes at a sensitive moment because preparations are continuing for King Oyo's burial, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 12.

A New Chapter for Tooro Kingdom

King Oyo became King of Tooro in 1995 at only three years old, becoming internationally known as the world's youngest reigning monarch at the time. His death brought an end to a three-decade reign that made him one of Uganda's most recognizable traditional leaders.

The selection of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma now places Tooro at a historic crossroads. Whether his selection will stand, or whether the claims surrounding King Oyo's reported son will lead to another succession process, remains a major question.

For now, Tooro Kingdom is preparing to bury its late king while simultaneously facing one of the most significant succession disputes in its recent history.