Ugandan kingdom gripped by succession battle after monarch’s death
Late king, Oyo Nyimba's Will names his lawfully recognised biological son as heir to the throne.
The traditional Ugandan kingdom of Tooro descended into a contentious succession dispute following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. The monarch, who became the world's youngest reigning ruler at the age of three, passed away on August 27 due to cancer complications in the United States. King Oyo, a UN goodwill ambassador known for his HIV/AIDS advocacy, never married and left no known children.
According to the royal succession committee, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor at the state-run broadcaster UBC, had been chosen as the new king. However, the decision was met with vehement objections. King Oyo's sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, revealed during a press conference that he had appointed his son as his successor. This declaration was supported by a copy of King Oyo's 2022 will, which explicitly stated that if he died with a recognized biological son, he would succeed him as king.
Amidst the uproar, King Oyo's mother, Queen Kemigisa, vehemently denounced the "self-appointed group of clan members" who had selected a new monarch without her consent. She alleged that Uganda's military had unlawfully removed royal guards from the palace and placed the royal family under house arrest. The military's response to these allegations was not immediately available.
King Oyo, a UN goodwill ambassador, never married and had no known children. Uganda's prime minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, confirmed the existence of a son via a social media post, but without revealing his identity or parentage. He stated that the son's identity would be officially disclosed at a later date. However, Andrew Mwenda, a prominent Ugandan journalist and family relative, questioned the authenticity of the son's existence, noting that the royal family has not produced a photo to substantiate the claim.
He also pointed out that, in Tooro culture, a king's son could only succeed him if he was born to an officially married queen. Prime Minister Armstrong cautioned against premature conclusions, urging all parties to follow established procedures for succession determination, emphasizing the importance of calm and credible discourse rather than heated debates and spontaneous announcements.
Written by urgent.news from SABC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
