Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Nyabongo II, 56, is set to be crowned king of Uganda’s Tooro kingdom on Saturday, a decision that has ignited a bitter succession dispute. The coronation follows the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who passed away last month from cancer at the age of 34.
For many Ugandans, Kijanangoma was better known as a storyteller and long‑serving anchor and editor at the state broadcaster, not as a royal heir. His elevation to the throne, however, has placed him at the centre of a controversy that has spilled beyond Uganda’s borders.
Tooro is one of Uganda’s four officially recognised historical kingdoms. The late king, who had ascended the throne as a three‑year‑old in 1995, was said to have left a young son and a will instructing that the child should succeed him. The son, reportedly in Texas, has never been publicly identified, and the committee of 21 Babiito clan members that chose Kijanangoma did not recognise him.
Queen Best Kemigisa, the late king’s mother, has publicly condemned the decision, calling it the “announcement of a second king” and saying it was “extraordinarily painful” to see celebrations take place “only metres from where my son’s body lay.” She added that the son could not return home amid a “tense and polarised succession dispute.”
Information Minister Charles Mwanguhya told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast that the crown has moved to a different line within the ruling clan. He said the son has not been presented anywhere, which the committee interprets as evidence that King Oyo did not leave a son behind.
Other candidates were considered, including Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, a footballer for a UK amateur club, who declined the offer citing other responsibilities. Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late king and a grand‑son of King Rukidi III, pledged that the palace would be open to the people and vowed to focus on unity and development.
Uganda’s traditional kings wield cultural influence but no formal political power. The government, under President Yoweri Museveni, has backed the Babiito clan’s choice. Attorney General Sam Mayanja confirmed that the Tooro kingdom was cleared to proceed with the coronation, and Museveni is scheduled to attend the ceremony. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the head of the military and president’s son, also posted support for Kijanangoma on X.
The coronation will begin at midnight with traditional rites, a mock fight, and blessings from the Babiito clan before Kijanangoma walks 4 km to the Karuziika royal palace to be crowned. The ceremony is expected to draw significant local and international attention as the new king takes his place on the Tooro throne.
