Uganda's King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was once recognized as the world's youngest reigning monarch, was buried on Saturday amid a dispute over his successor. The 34-year-old monarch died last month while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets of western Uganda as King Oyo's casket was transported to the royal tombs in Fort Portal for a private ceremony. He had ruled the traditional kingdom of Tooro since he was three years old. Tooro is one of Uganda's traditional kingdoms, which were abolished in 1967 but reinstated in the 1990s. Their monarchs serve as cultural leaders.
Clans elders have named TV news presenter Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, as the next monarch. He reportedly cast nine coffee beans into the late king's grave, a ritual signifying the transition of power. However, days prior, Oyo's family rejected Kijanangoma, who is the late monarch's cousin, as the new king.
Princess Ruth Komuntale, Oyo's sister, stated that the late king had left a will from 2022 designating his young son as his successor. The identity of the boy has not been publicly disclosed.
Queen Best Kemigisa, the late king's mother, reported that royal guards had been withdrawn from the palace and soldiers deployed, restricting the movement of the royal family and their ability to receive visitors. She described the situation as "house arrest."
During the burial ceremony, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, urged mourners to seek unity, warning that "words spoken in grief can cause pain, division and conflict. It can even destroy the legacy of the king we are mourning."
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni also called for the succession matter to be resolved in a way that "favours unity over division."
The Babiito royal clan, which oversees succession, defended its choice of Kijanangoma. Omusuuga Charles Karumasi, the clan head, stated, "We have done everything in observance of the culture and traditions of Tooro. We must all preserve peace and serenity."