A Ugandan journalist and prince has been crowned king of the Tooro traditional monarchy, a month after the death of its former “boy king” triggered widespread grief and a succession dispute, the Associated Press reported.
The new king has taken the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo. He had worked as a broadcaster and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corp. before being selected by elders from the Babiito, the kingdom’s ruling clan. He performed overnight rituals and was ushered into the palace before his formal presentation to followers.
Nyabongo pledged unity in an interview with Uganda’s New Vision newspaper before his coronation. “Heritage must be matched by discipline and hard work,” he said, adding that his family taught him to regard royal descent as “a duty to prepare for” rather than an entitlement.
He was not considered particularly high in the line of succession but was chosen from a pool of eligible princes after King Oyo Nyimba died of cancer at age 34 in August without a publicly known heir.
The succession is contested by Oyo’s mother, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa. She said the written will of the late king had not been followed and claimed that Oyo left behind a young son whose identity would be revealed at the appropriate time. The claim has cast doubt on Nyabongo’s legitimacy and on the Babiito’s decision.
The alleged son has not been publicly identified. Purported images of a “Baby Oyo” have circulated on social media, while critics say the child, if he exists, should have been introduced to the kingdom’s elders while Oyo was alive. Local media also reported disagreements, including a brief dispute over custody of Oyo’s remains, during his funeral on Sept. 12.
Traditional kingdoms in Uganda were abolished in the 1960s and restored in 1993. Their leaders hold no formal governmental authority and are barred from partisan politics, but they retain significant influence as guardians of traditional culture. The coronation in Fort Portal, in western Uganda, was expected to draw thousands of people in person and through televised broadcasts.
Oyo became king in 1995 at age 3 after his father’s death and was guided by regents until he turned 18. He was once regarded as the world’s youngest king and attracted widespread attention, including from international leaders. At his coronation, he performed traditional rituals, including tossing nine coffee beans into his father’s tomb.
Nicholas Sengoba, a political analyst in Uganda, said the Babiito had demonstrated the kingdom’s established norms by selecting Nyabongo, while acknowledging that “many of these positions may not be popular.”
