Ugandan kingdom enthrones ex-TV anchor after succession fight

In a coronation ceremony that concluded a succession dispute, 56-year-old Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was crowned king of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom on Tuesday, marking his ascension as the 13th monarch of the Batooro people. This event came after the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV from cancer last month at the age of 34, triggering a dispute over the throne. The controversy arose when Oyo Nyimba’s mother, Best Kemigisa, claimed that a previously undisclosed son was entitled to the kingdom.

Kijanangoma, who is Oyo Nyimba’s cousin, was chosen by a 21-member committee from the royal Babiito clan, despite objections from the monarch’s mother and sister, who alleged the existence of a young son named in Oyo Nyimba’s will. The new king, formerly known as Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, assumed the royal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I during the traditional ceremony. This included the ritualistic slaying of a bull and the sprinkling of a hen’s blood.

In the capital Fort Portal, Kijanangoma took part in a mock battle for the crown, and was greeted by traditional dancers and drummers in traditional attire, including calabashes. President Yoweri Museveni attended the proceedings, underscoring the significance of the event. Kamurasi, head of the Babiito clan and former authority figure, transferred power to the new king in a church service at St. John’s Cathedral.

Kijanangoma's speech emphasized his commitment to safeguarding the Tooro culture and traditions, promising to foster good conduct among his subjects. The coronation, which proceeded despite the objections of Oyo Nyimba’s mother and sister, highlighted the Tooro Kingdom's role as a cultural and historical emblem in Uganda, even though it lacks political power.