Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was crowned Omukama (King) Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom on Tuesday, ending weeks of uncertainty over the succession following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The coronation took place at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal and was presided over by President Yoweri Museveni. Thousands of Batooro and other guests attended the ceremony.
Kijanangoma, 56, is a former news anchor and editor who worked for Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. He was selected by a 21-member committee of the Babiito royal clan on Sept. 9 and was later endorsed by the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council on Sept. 15.
The new king succeeds Oyo, who died in the United States on Aug. 27 at the age of 34 after receiving treatment for cancer. Oyo had ruled Tooro since 1995, when he became king at the age of 3 following the death of his father.
The succession has been disputed by members of Oyo’s family, who have said the late king left a son who was named as heir in a will. The alleged heir has not been publicly presented or recognised by the Babiito succession committee.
Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and other members of Oyo’s family have questioned the decision to select Kijanangoma, while the Babiito leadership has maintained that the succession process followed Tooro customs and established procedures.
The dispute reached the courts shortly before the coronation. On Sept. 28, two people identified as concerned Batooro, together with Walezi Wa Katiba, filed a petition at the Fort Portal High Court seeking an interim order to stop the coronation and challenging Kijanangoma’s selection. The applicants argued that Oyo’s alleged will named his son as successor.
The petition was filed after Attorney General Sam Mayanja had earlier said the kingdom could proceed with preparations because no formal court challenge had been registered at that time.
The coronation nevertheless went ahead on Tuesday.
Kijanangoma comes from the Babiito royal clan and is a grandson of Sir George David Rukidi III, who ruled Tooro from 1928 to 1965. He was also a cousin of Oyo.
Before entering the royal succession, Kijanangoma spent much of his adult life in journalism. He studied mass communication at Makerere University and worked in broadcasting, including at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, where he served as a news anchor and editor. UBC reported that he had worked there for 12 years.
His selection followed an earlier decision by the succession committee to consider Prince George Desmond Kamurasi for the throne. Kamurasi subsequently declined the position, according to reports on the succession process.
In his first address as king, Kijanangoma called for cooperation from the people of Tooro.
“I ask you for one thing – they have given me this title as king but I cannot work alone, I have to work with you,” he said.
He later said his reign would seek to preserve Tooro’s culture and traditions while promoting unity and development.
Uganda has restored traditional kingdoms as cultural institutions, but they do not exercise constitutional political authority. Tooro is one of the country’s recognised traditional kingdoms and retains cultural influence among its people.
Kijanangoma’s coronation brings a formal end to the mourning period following Oyo’s death and begins a new reign under a monarch whose path to the throne has been closely contested within the royal family.
 of Tooro after a contested royal succession.){kind=link}