A former television news anchor Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has been crowned the 13th Monarch of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom, succeeding the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV following a disputed succession process.
Kijanangoma, 56, was selected by a 21-member committee of the royal Babiito clan and formally crowned King Edward Rukidi Nyabongo on Tuesday in Fort Portal, the capital of Tooro Kingdom.
He succeeds King Oyo, who died in the United States on August 27 at the age of 34 after receiving treatment for cancer.
The succession had been contested by Oyo’s mother, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, and his sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, who said the late king left behind a young son and a will naming the child as heir.
The Babiito clan, however, said “it was not aware of any such child and proceeded with the selection of Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late king.”
Uganda is a Constitutional Republic, but traditional kingdoms such as Tooro retain significant cultural and historical importance despite having no constitutional political power.
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Kijanangoma, who previously worked as a news anchor and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, took part in traditional coronation rituals at Karuziika Palace.
The ceremony included traditional rites and a symbolic mock battle before he was presented to thousands of subjects and guests, including President Yoweri Museveni.
Earlier, Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, head of the Babiito royal clan, formally handed over authority to the new king during a thanksgiving service at St John’s Cathedral.
In his maiden speech, Nyabongo said; ” I pledged to protect Tooro’s culture, traditions and environment.
“We have a big task to protect our culture, our traditions and customs and good conduct among our people.”
King Oyo, who was crowned at the age of three in 1995 after the death of his father, became one of Africa’s best-known traditional rulers.
His death reignited questions over succession after his family raised claims about a previously undisclosed son.
The Babiito clan maintained that it followed customary procedures in selecting Kijanangoma as the new monarch.
The coronation marks the beginning of a new reign for the Tooro Kingdom, with the new king expected to preserve its cultural heritage while addressing contemporary concerns affecting the people.
Reuters
