Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was buried on Saturday at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal, bringing his nine-day mourning period to an end.
But the funeral took place under the shadow of a succession dispute. The royal clan has chosen news anchor Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as Oyo’s successor, while the late king’s immediate family says his son should inherit the throne.
King Oyo burial: Key facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Late king | King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV |
| Age at death | 34 |
| Kingdom | Tooro, western Uganda |
| Burial | Karambi Royal Tombs, Fort Portal |
| Successor | Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma |
| Age of successor | 56 |
| Previous role | UBC news anchor and editor |
| Main dispute | Alleged son named as heir |
| Traditional succession ritual | Nine coffee berries cast into the grave |
Thousands attend King Oyo’s funeral
Thousands of mourners gathered in Fort Portal as the king’s coffin was taken through the streets toward the royal tombs.
Royal guards wearing orange shawls escorted the cortege, while mourners followed on foot. The burial came exactly 31 years after Oyo’s coronation in 1995.
Oyo became king when he was only three years old after the death of his father. He was widely known as the world’s youngest reigning monarch during his childhood.
He died at 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
News anchor becomes the new Tooro king
Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a 56-year-old journalist and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, was selected by the Babiito royal clan earlier this week.
Kijanangoma is Oyo’s cousin. The clan said it had followed Tooro traditions and carried out consultations before selecting him.
At Saturday’s burial, Kijanangoma took part in the traditional ceremony marking the transfer of
