Uganda’s royal crisis deepens as fierce conflict erupts over late king’s heir
The Ugandan government is working urgently to help resolve a fierce royal succession conflict within the Tooro Kingdom following the death of monarch Oyo Nyimba at the age of 34.
King Oyo, who was crowned in 1995 at the age of three, was known as the world’s “youngest king”.
He died in August after suffering from an illness which was kept hidden from the public.
He is scheduled to be buried during a formal ceremony on Saturday, with thousands of mourners and visiting dignitaries in attendance.
But the proceedings cannot go ahead until an agreement is reached regarding his successor, a kingdom spokesperson said.
The conflict erupted on Wednesday when a royal clan succession panel named Oyo’s cousin, Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, as the next king.
Mr Kijanangoma works as an editor and news anchor for state broadcaster UBC.
The choice provoked outrage from the late ruler’s immediate family, particularly his mother and sister, who said that his son, who has not been publicly named, should inherit the royal throne.
Uganda operates as a constitutional republic where executive authority belongs to an elected head of state, but several ancient pre-colonial monarchies remain active, serving as symbols of identity and tradition and wielding substantial influence.
Besides the throne, the new king will also inherit a considerable royal estate including swathes of land and sizeable cash payouts and other gifts from the central government on an ongoing basis.
“There are meetings going on between the royal family and the royal clan, so all sides involved are talking,” Tooro Kingdom spokesperson Vincent Mugume said.
“The (central) government is also involved in the talks.”
Mr Mugume said that he kingdom must have a new king by the time of burial to perform rituals that are reserved for the successor monarch.
He declined to speculate on what would happen should the talks not reach a solution.
