From TV Anchor To King: Who Is Uganda’s Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma?

A former TV news presenter has been installed as the new ruler of Uganda's Tooro Kingdom, closing a succession fight that emerged after King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV died last month, Reuters reported. Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma became the 13th monarch of the Batooro people on Tuesday.

The ceremony ended a dispute over Oyo's successor. The late king died at 34 after cancer. A 21-member committee from the royal Babiito clan chose Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late king and a former broadcaster. Reuters also reported that he was among several people considered for the role, including Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who plays football for one of the UK's best-known amateur clubs.

Kijanangoma's path to the throne stood out for another reason. Before becoming monarch, he was known for his work on television rather than in palace politics. The coronation came despite objections from Oyo's family, who said the late king had left behind a son who should inherit the throne.

Succession Dispute

Oyo's death triggered an internal family dispute. He died at 34 after cancer, and his mother had earlier said her undisclosed son was entitled to the throne.

Best Kemigisa and Oyo's sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, objected to the coronation. They said the late king had left behind a young son and a will naming him as heir.

The Babiito clan rejected that claim. The royal clan said it knew of no such child and a 21-member committee selected Kijanangoma as king. Kijanangoma is Oyo Nyimba's cousin.

Rituals And Setting

In Fort Portal, Tooro's capital, Kijanangoma adopted the royal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I during a traditional rite that involved killing a bull and sprinkling hen's blood, Reuters reported.

The ceremony began overnight. Nyabongo I walked to Karuziika Palace between midnight and 3 a.m. before taking part in a mock battle for the crown.

Uganda is a constitutional republic with an elected president at the top, yet four pre-colonial kingdoms still matter as markers of identity and heritage. Tooro is one of the country's four main officially recognised historical kingdoms, and its kings hold no formal political power even as they keep cultural sway and loyalty.

From Broadcast To Throne

Kijanangoma was born in 1970 and raised in Kidukuru village in Fort Portal, about 300 kms from Kampala. He graduated with a mass communication degree from Makerere University in 1999.

He worked in broadcasting for over 20 years. His jobs took him to neighbouring Rwanda and to the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation. BBC reported that he served for years as an anchor and editor at the state broadcaster, while former colleagues described him as humble and down to earth. He was one of several names in the running, including Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who plays football for one of the UK's best-known amateur clubs, Reuters reported.

The build-up to the coronation drew a strong local response. Relatives gathered at Karuziika Palace with traditional drummers and dancers wearing calabashes and orange bark-cloth shawls. “Everyone in Fort Portal is happy because of this new king. We are preparing. Women are ironing their masuka. Men are ironing their kanzus,” Tooro resident Elizabeth Kengonze told Reuters. “People are practicing how they will sing Amakondere (praise music). We are very happy and grateful because Tooro, as a culture, is being promoted and the young ones are now knowing and learning how the Tooro culture was.”

Oyo's Legacy

Oyo Nyimba drew global attention in 1995 when he was enthroned at age 3 after the death of his father. Photos of the toddler in royal robes and a crown sparked broad fascination.

He stayed king for almost 30 years. Oyo died in the US on August 27 while receiving treatment for angiosarcoma, an aggressive cancer.

He was buried on September 12 at Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal.