Journalist to be crowned king in Uganda after bitter succession dispute

Journalist to be crowned king in Uganda after bitter succession dispute Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Nyabongo II, 56, is set to be crowned king of Uganda’s Tooro kingdom. For many Ugandans he has long been recognized not as the heir apparent but as a storyteller, a veteran anchor and a longtime employee of the state broadcaster. His emergence as the next monarch has thrust him into the media spotlight, igniting a succession dispute that has drawn reactions both within and beyond the country. Tooro is one of Uganda’s four officially recognized cultural kingdoms. For the past 31 years it has been led by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who gained international attention as a “boy king” after taking the throne as an infant. Oyo ascended in 1995 at the age of three following the death of his father. He remained the world’s youngest monarch until his death last month from cancer at age 34. The coronation ceremony begins at midnight with traditional rites. Afterward the new king walks approximately four kilometres (2.5 miles) to the Karuziika royal palace, where he is crowned. A mock combat follows, symbolizing that the attainment of kingship is not easy. He is then blessed by members of the royal Babiito clan, a point highlighted by Tooro kingdom’s Information Minister Charles Mwanguhya in an interview with the BBC Focus on Africa podcast. Subsequent rites affirm his assumption of the throne before he takes his seat and an existing crown is placed upon his head, marking his new authority and status as the Tooro king. The appointment of Kijanangoma, however, has not been uncontested. Tradition dictates that a recognized son of the deceased monarch should succeed him. Close relatives of the royal household said Oyo had left a young son and a will instructing that the child inherit the throne. Yet that son has never been publicly revealed, nor was he acknowledged by the committee of 21 Babiito clan members responsible for selecting the king—despite ultimately choosing Kijanangoma. The late King Oyo was never publicly married, and little is known about any wife or potential offspring. His mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, maintained that the deceased king’s wishes ought to have been honoured. Nevertheless, the royal succession committee disregarded her pleas, asserting that its selection process adhered to Tooro customs and traditions. As a result, the new king now finds himself at the centre of a succession controversy, with Kemigisa and her close relatives expressing dissatisfaction with the outcome.