The burial of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal on Saturday was overshadowed by a bitter dispute over who should succeed him on the Tooro throne.
Oyo, who died aged 34 in the United States on August 27 while receiving cancer treatment, was buried after nine days of mourning across the kingdom. His burial also coincided with Empango, the anniversary of his coronation.
During the ceremony, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, a news anchor and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, formally assumed the traditional succession role after casting nine coffee berries into Oyo’s grave, part of the traditional handover ritual.
However, his succession remains contested by members of Oyo’s immediate family.
Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, have rejected Kijanangoma’s selection. They say Oyo’s 2022 Will named a son as the rightful heir to the throne.
The dispute has become one of the biggest challenges facing the Tooro royal family following Oyo’s death.
Oyo never married and was not publicly known to have children. However, shortly after his death, Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced that the king had left a son whose identity would be disclosed at an appropriate time.
The child has not been publicly identified.
Oyo’s family says the 2022 will described the child as his lawfully recognised biological son and named him as heir to the throne.
But elders of the Babiito clan, the royal clan responsible for protecting Tooro’s royal traditions and determining succession, say the child had not been formally introduced through the customary process required by the kingdom.
The elders instead backed Kijanangoma as Oyo’s successor.
Rev Fr Charles Oyo, a Babiito clan elder, said the king’s will could not by itself determine who would become Omukama of Tooro.
“The will is not a determinant of who is supposed to be a king; it is a document that expresses one’s wish,” he said. “The Musuuga [Babiito clan leader] is above the will.”
The position has angered Princess Komuntale, who accused the elders of attempting to take control of the throne.
She said she remained firmly behind her brother’s wishes and opposed what she described as attempts to take away what Oyo had worked to build during his reign.
“King Oyo was a very peaceful man, a very humble man,” she said. “I just don’t want these evil vultures to come and steal what he worked so hard for. I continue to stand with my brother.”
The disagreement prompted the Ugandan government to join talks aimed at finding a solution before the burial.
Oyo’s own journey to the throne began when he was only three years old.
He became Omukama in 1995 following the death of his father, Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. At the time, he was recognised as the world’s youngest reigning monarch.
Because of his age, Oyo was guided by regents during his childhood before eventually taking on the full responsibilities of the monarchy as an adult.
Despite being a traditional king without political authority, Oyo became one of Uganda’s most recognisable cultural leaders.
Uganda is a constitutional republic, meaning traditional kings and other cultural leaders do not exercise formal political power. However, kingdoms continue to play an important cultural role and retain strong loyalty among their communities.
Uganda abolished traditional kingdoms in 1967, but they were restored in 1993.
Oyo grew up under unusual circumstances because of his position as king. He met presidents, royalty, and other world leaders from an early age.
Those who knew him during childhood remember him as a friendly and warm person.
Although he was homeschooled as a young child, with the palace serving as his classroom, he later attended primary school.
Oyo promoted local football tournaments, including the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Cup. The tournament was later suspended as his health deteriorated.
Beyond football, Oyo used his position to promote environmental protection, healthy living, and other causes.
In 2020, he climbed the Rwenzori Mountains to raise awareness about climate change and the retreat of glaciers in the mountain range.
He also supported a campaign to plant 10 million trees across Tooro over five years.
Oyo was involved in cancer awareness activities and participated in runs promoting healthy living. His sister described him as her “best workout partner”.
Before his death, Oyo had allocated land and started fundraising for a paediatric hospital in Kyenjojo.
Babiito clan elders have since appealed to the government to help complete the project. They have also called for the establishment of a specialised cancer facility and an international stadium in his memory.
For many mourners, however, the burial was primarily a farewell to a king whose reign began when he was still a child.
At St John’s Cathedral, Queen Mother Kemigisa remembered her son as a protective and caring person.
“He was my shield who always stood for me,” she said.
She recalled praying for Oyo’s life while she was in hospital.
“When I was in the hospital, I said, ‘God, please leave my son alone; take me first,’” she said. “He [God] decided to take him [King Oyo] first. I said, ‘Why? Because he was closer to You than me.’”
Princess Komuntale described her brother as a funny person who always brightened her day.
Although Oyo was younger than her, she said he often behaved like the older sibling and protected both her and their mother after their father died.
Fr Charles Oyo also remembered the late king as a handsome monarch who loved his kingdom.
He said Oyo died at a time when he was beginning to demonstrate his abilities and capacity as a king.
Oyo’s final months were marked by a private battle with cancer.
According to Komuntale, he began experiencing pain in his back and rib cage last year. The family initially thought the pain could have been caused by strenuous exercise or ulcers.
He later travelled to Kenya, where he was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer.
He subsequently travelled to Germany for treatment before going to the United States.
The family kept his illness largely private at his request.
“He told us to keep it private, and we respected that,” Komuntale said.
She said Oyo had hoped to return to Uganda shortly before his death and celebrate Empango with his people.
He spoke to key workers in Uganda about his planned return, but he never made it home.
For Komuntale, the death of the king has also meant losing a younger brother who remained playful despite the heavy responsibilities that came with the throne.
She recalled playing dodgeball with him and his love for his three dogs.
“Even though you were crowned a king, you were still a kid who loved to play,” she said.
She vowed to preserve his legacy.
“I will keep your legacy, what you loved, and we will talk about you every day,” she said.
*From Al Jazeera
