Ugandan royal succession scandal

A bitter succession dispute has erupted in Uganda's Tooro Kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was the world's youngest reigning monarch until his death at 34. According to The Guardian, he died on 27 August in the US while receiving cancer treatment.

Royal clan elders have named Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a 56-year-old TV news presenter, as the next monarch, but this has been rejected by the king's close family. Princess Ruth Komuntale stated that her brother had left a will in 2022 naming his young son as his successor, although the son's identity has not been disclosed.

The situation has become increasingly tense, with Queen Best Kemigisa alleging that royal guards have been withdrawn from the palace and soldiers deployed, restricting the royal family's movement and their ability to receive visitors, which she described as "house arrest". She has appealed to the army's leadership and President Yoweri Museveni to allow the family to mourn and bury the king in peace.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, The Guardian, KahawaTungu, Sky News, Capital FM Kenya — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.