Tooro coronation leaves succession challenge unresolved
Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was crowned the kingdom’s 13th monarch, despite objections from the late king’s mother and sister over a claimed heir.
Journalist Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has been crowned the 13th monarch of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom, taking the royal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. His accession follows the death last month of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, his cousin.
A 21-member committee from the royal Babiito clan selected Kijanangoma, 56. The traditional ceremony included a mock battle for the crown.
The coronation went ahead despite objections from Oyo’s mother, Best Kemigisa, and sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale. They say the late king left a young son and a will naming him as heir.
The report does not verify the existence of the son or the will, and the alleged heir’s identity has not been disclosed. The claim has contributed to disquiet over the selection.
Tooro is one of four pre-colonial kingdoms that remain influential symbols of identity and heritage in Uganda, a constitutional republic. The kingdoms do not hold political power.
