In brief
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a famous television presenter, has been named monarch of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom, sparking a fierce dispute. The late King Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, insists the rightful heir is the king’s undisclosed young son, supported by the queen mother and other senior royals. Clan elders justify the appointment by citing tradition and careful selection, but they ignore the king’s written will. The controversy has led to house‑arrest‑like restrictions and a call for calm from President Museveni. Amid the conflict, the royal family seeks to mourn the late king and bury him peacefully while the succession agenda looms.
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma – the popular UBC TV news presenter – has been named monarch of the Tooro Kingdom, triggering a sharp split in the royal clan. The decision came just days before the burial of the late King Oyo, who was 34 when he passed after cancer treatment abroad.
Princess Ruth Komuntale, king’s sister, says the 2022 will clearly names king’s secret son – the youngest heir – as next ruler and rejects the new appointment. She accused the announcement of adding “confusion and turmoil” during the family’s mourning period.
The king’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, voiced that palace guards have been removed and soldiers placed in front of the palace, describing the situation as “house arrest.” She pleaded to the army’s leadership and President Museveni to allow the family to grieve and bury Oyo peacefully.
The succession committee, made up of 19 elders from the Babiito dynasty, said they had conducted “due diligence, consultation and adequate consideration” before selecting Kijanangoma, citing tradition that the virtue of the chosen prince outweighs an official will. The king’s youth, the family’s claim, and the role of the clan elders make the dispute complex.
Tooro is one of Uganda’s culturally significant kingdoms. The monarch holds no formal political power but is an influential cultural leader. Uganda’s monarchs were restored in the 1990s and remain respected figures.
