Uganda Journalist Set To Become Tooro King After King Oyo’s Death

A Ugandan journalist and prince is set to become the new king of the Tooro Kingdom, weeks after the death of King Oyo Nyimba triggered a succession dispute over who should inherit the traditional throne.

The journalist, who worked as a broadcaster and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corp, was selected by elders from the kingdom’s ruling Babiito clan from a group of eligible princes. He has taken the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo and completed traditional rituals overnight before being ushered into the palace. He is due to be formally presented to his followers on Tuesday.

According to AP, Nyabongo was not particularly high in the line of succession. His selection followed Oyo’s death from cancer in August at the age of 34 without a publicly known heir, prompting questions over who should succeed him.

The choice has been disputed by Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, who said the written will of the late king had not been followed. Kemigisa has also said Oyo left behind a young son whose identity would be revealed at the appropriate time.

The claim has cast doubt on Nyabongo’s legitimacy and the Babiito elders’ decision to choose him. According to AP, purported photographs of a child described on social media as “Baby Oyo” have circulated widely, giving hope to supporters of the late monarch that he may have left an heir.

Critics, however, have questioned why the child, if he exists, was not presented to the kingdom’s elders while Oyo was still alive.

“They have demonstrated that these are the norms of the kingdom,” Nicholas Sengoba, a prominent political analyst in Uganda, said of the Babiito’s selection of Nyabongo. “Many of these positions may not be popular.”

The succession dispute was also apparent during Oyo’s funeral on September 12. Local media reported disagreements, including a brief dispute over custody of the late king’s remains.

Before his coronation, Nyabongo told the local New Vision newspaper that he would seek to promote unity within the kingdom.

“Heritage must be matched by discipline and hard work. My family never let me treat royal descent as an entitlement; it was presented to me as a duty to prepare for.”

The coronation is taking place in Fort Portal, a remote town in western Uganda not far from the Congo border. Thousands are expected to watch the ceremony in person, while it is also being broadcast on television.

Uganda’s traditional kingdoms were abolished in the 1960s, after the country gained independence from British colonial rule. They were abolished by a republican president who said he wanted to unify the country. The kingdoms were restored in 1993.

Traditional leaders have no formal governmental authority in Uganda and are legally barred from engaging in partisan politics. They nevertheless retain significant influence among their communities as guardians of traditional culture.

The Tooro Kingdom has hundreds of thousands of followers and is one of Uganda’s traditional monarchies.

Oyo was crowned in 1995 at the age of three following the death of his father. He became known internationally as a child monarch, a curious child in colourful robes who was an object of adoration for hundreds of thousands of followers. He was once regarded as the world’s youngest king.

At his coronation, Oyo took part in a series of traditional rituals and was led into the royal cemetery for a coming-of-age ceremony. He successfully tossed nine coffee beans into his father’s tomb.

Oyo was guided by regents appointed by the kingdom until he became an adult at 18.

Oyo also met several world leaders at national events, including South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi became close to the Tooro royal family, visiting Uganda several times and supporting Oyo and Kemigisa for years before his death in October 2011.

Oyo’s death has triggered a succession dispute over a possible heir, even as Nyabongo prepares to take the throne.