The Tooro Kingdom has a new king following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who passed away on August 27, 2026. Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi Nyabongo I was declared the new King of Tooro by the ruling Babito royal council during the funeral service of the late King Oyo at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal City on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

The announcement was made by Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, also known as Omujwera Musuuga, the head of the Babito royal clan. The Babito clan is the royal lineage from which the kings of Tooro trace their ancestry.

Musuuga told mourners that the Babito council had met and elected Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I as the new king. He also called on the people of Tooro to remain united and respect the kingdom’s culture and traditions.

Why is there a succession dispute in Tooro Kingdom? The announcement of Edward Kijanangoma as the new king comes amid a dispute over who should succeed the late King Oyo.

Earlier, members of Oyo’s immediate family rejected the announcement of a new king and said that the late monarch had a son whose identity has not been publicly revealed. According to the family, the son was named in Oyo’s will as his successor.

Despite the competing claims, Oyo’s mother, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, and his only publicly known surviving child, Princess Ruth Komuntale, did not directly address the succession dispute during the funeral. Instead, they called for peace and unity among the people of Tooro.

New king takes part in burial ritual The succession dispute had also created uncertainty around the burial of King Oyo because of an important cultural requirement involving the new king. According to reports, Edward Kijanangoma later performed a traditional ritual at the Karambi Royal Tombs by casting nine coffee berries into the grave.

The act symbolised the formal transfer of power. King Oyo was eventually laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal following a funeral that attracted members of the royal family, cultural leaders, government officials and other mourners.

Musuuga calls for unity in Tooro During the funeral service, Musuuga urged the people of Tooro to remain calm and protect the cultural identity of the kingdom. He emphasised the importance of unity and said that the succession process had been handled in accordance with Ugandan law while also taking Tooro customs and traditions into consideration.

Musuuga also delivered an emotional farewell to King Oyo, recalling his relationship with Oyo’s father, Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. He remembered a promise he said Oyo’s father had made to him, asking him to guide and support his children, including King Oyo.

Museveni calls for a peaceful solution The succession dispute has also attracted the attention of the Ugandan government. Representing President Yoweri Museveni at the funeral, Parliament Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa appealed to the Batooro to resolve the disagreement peacefully and within the law.

Tayebwa conveyed Museveni’s message that the government would be ready to work with the king once the succession question is settled. The President also urged the Batooro to seek unity rather than division.

What happens next in Tooro Kingdom? The declaration of Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi Nyabongo I as King of Tooro marks a significant development in the kingdom’s succession process.

However, the competing claim involving King Oyo’s alleged son means questions surrounding the rightful successor remain. For now, cultural leaders and government officials are calling for calm, unity and a peaceful resolution that respects both Ugandan law and the traditions of the Tooro Kingdom.