Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor and cousin of the late King Oyo, has been named crown prince of the Tooro Kingdom and is expected to be crowned this week. King Oyo, who died of cancer at 34 and was widely known as the "boy king," will be buried Saturday near the Democratic Republic of the Congo border. Oyo's sister has rejected the committee's choice, saying he left an heir, raising the possibility of legal challenges and internal division. Tooro is one of Uganda's restored cultural kingdoms and holds no formal sovereign powers.
Ugandan News Anchor Edward Kijanangoma Named Tooro Crown Prince Amid Dispute After Death Of 'Boy King' Oyo
FILE - Uganda's King of the Tooro Kingdom, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, during his 18th birthday at Fort Portal, Uganda, Saturday, April 17, 2010 as he assumed the full duties of King of the Tooros. (AP Photo/Marc Hofer, File)
KAMPALA, Uganda — Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor and editor with the state-owned Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, was named crown prince of the Tooro Kingdom on Wednesday, the kingdom's selection committee announced. The selection follows last month’s death of Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the monarch widely known as "King Oyo" or the "boy king," who died of cancer at 34.
The committee said Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late king, emerged after a search and is likely to be crowned this week. Tens of thousands of mourners are expected to attend Oyo’s burial on Saturday in a town near Uganda’s border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Succession Sparks Dispute
The choice has stirred controversy. President Yoweri Museveni has publicly asserted that Oyo left a young heir born out of wedlock, but the Tooro selection committee disregarded that claim when choosing Kijanangoma. The appointment was immediately rejected by Oyo’s sister, Ruth Komuntale, who told local broadcaster NBS she was "very disappointed" and said Oyo's written will "clearly stated" he left an heir to the throne.
"We are just very disappointed. Honestly, to me it's very dramatic, trying to bring division and turmoil." — Ruth Komuntale
Observers say the committee likely selected Kijanangoma — a down-to-earth broadcaster — to reassure traditionalists seeking continuity while avoiding the prospect of placing another child on the throne. Still, the decision could prompt legal challenges or deepen divisions if supporters of the late king feel sidelined.
Legacy Of The 'Boy King' And The Role Of Traditional Kingdoms
Oyo was crowned in 1995 at age 3 after his father's death and grew up in the public eye, performing ritual duties and becoming a widely recognized ceremonial leader. As a child he captivated the public in colorful robes and underwent traditional rites, including a coming-of-age ceremony in which he tossed nine coffee beans into his father's tomb. Regents administered kingdom affairs until he reached adulthood.
International figures, including South Africa's Nelson Mandela, met Oyo over the years. Libya's Muammar Gaddafi also cultivated ties with the Tooro royal family and visited Uganda several times before his death. Traditional kingdoms such as Tooro were abolished after independence and restored in 1993; they have no formal sovereign powers and are legally barred from engaging in partisan politics, but they remain important cultural institutions.
The selection committee has not publicly detailed its coronation timetable or the full criteria behind its decision. With tensions already high, the coming days will likely determine whether the succession proceeds peacefully or becomes the subject of legal and political battles.
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