Uganda’s King Oyo buried amid calls for unity over his successor

Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who once held the title of the world’s youngest reigning monarch, was laid to rest on Saturday following a dispute over his successor. The 34-year-old had been the ruler of the Tooro kingdom in western Uganda since the tender age of three. However, Oyo passed away last month while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.

Tooro, one of Uganda’s traditional kingdoms, was disbanded in 1967 but reinstated in the 1990s by President Museveni. Monarchs within such kingdoms are acknowledged as cultural leaders rather than political rulers. Thousands of mourners lined the streets as the king’s casket was escorted to the royal tombs in Fort Portal, where a private ceremony was held.

At the age of just a toddler, Oyo was appointed as Tooro’s king and, according to Guinness World Records, held the title of the world’s youngest monarch during his reign. TV news presenter Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, was named the next monarch by clan elders. Kijanangoma reportedly performed a ritual of casting nine coffee beans into Oyo’s grave to signify the transition from one reign to another.

However, Oyo’s family, led by his sister Princess Ruth Komuntale, rejected Kijanangoma’s candidacy as the new Tooro king. The late monarch had reportedly left a will in 2022, naming his young son as his successor, though the boy’s identity has remained undisclosed. Meanwhile, Oyo’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, alleged that royal guards had been removed from the palace, replaced by soldiers, effectively placing the royal family under house arrest and limiting their interactions.

Addressing the mourners on Saturday, Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu of the Church of Uganda urged the community to prioritize unity. “Words spoken in grief can cause pain, division, and conflict. They can even destroy the legacy of the king we are mourning,” he warned to the gathered mourners. Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni also called for the resolution of the succession matter to foster unity over division.

The clan responsible for succession, the Babiito royal clan, defended their choice of Kijanangoma, stating that they had adhered to the customs and traditions of Tooro and that it was essential to maintain peace and tranquility.