Uganda’s King Oyo Buried as Dispute Over His Successor Deepens

Thousands of mourners gathered in Fort Portal as King Oyo of Tooro was buried amid a dispute over his succession.

Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has been buried in Fort Portal, days after a dispute emerged over who should succeed him as monarch of the Tooro Kingdom.

Oyo, who was 34, died in the United States last month while undergoing cancer treatment. He had ruled Tooro, one of Uganda’s traditional kingdoms, since becoming king at the age of three.

Thousands of mourners lined the streets of Fort Portal on Saturday as the late king’s casket was taken to the royal tombs, where a private burial ceremony was held.

Oyo became Tooro’s monarch as a toddler and was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s youngest reigning monarch during his reign.

The burial took place against the backdrop of an unresolved succession dispute involving members of the royal family and the Babiito clan, which oversees the traditional succession process.

TV news presenter Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, was named as the next monarch by clan elders. During the burial ceremony, he reportedly cast nine coffee beans into Oyo’s grave, a traditional ritual understood to signify the end of one reign and the beginning of another.

However, members of Oyo’s family have rejected Kijanangoma’s selection.

Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, said the late king had left a will in 2022 naming his young son as his successor. The identity of the child has not been publicly disclosed.

The succession dispute also led to concerns within the royal family over security arrangements at the palace.

Queen Best Kemigisa, Oyo’s mother, said royal guards had been withdrawn from the palace and replaced with soldiers. She described the situation as “house arrest”, saying the development restricted the royal family’s movement and ability to receive visitors.

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, called for unity during Saturday’s burial ceremony, warning that disagreements surrounding the succession could damage the legacy of the late king.

“Words spoken in grief can cause pain, division and conflict. It can even destroy the legacy of the king we are mourning,” he told mourners.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni also urged those involved to resolve the succession dispute and prioritise unity.

The Babiito royal clan, however, defended its decision to name Kijanangoma as the next monarch.

Omusuuga Charles Karumasi, head of the Babiito royal clan, said the succession process had been conducted in accordance with Tooro’s culture and traditions.

“We have done everything in observance of the culture and traditions of Tooro. We must all preserve peace and serenity,” Karumasi said.

Tooro is one of Uganda’s traditional kingdoms. The kingdoms were abolished by the government in 1967 and restored in the 1990s under President Museveni. Their monarchs are recognised as cultural leaders rather than political rulers.

With the burial of King Oyo now completed, attention is expected to remain focused on the competing claims surrounding the future leadership of the Tooro Kingdom.