BY Baker Junior
The Princess Royal says her late brother, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, left a will naming his son as heir, challenging the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma.
Princess – Ruth Nsemere Komuntale has rejected the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new king of Tooro, saying the late King Oyo left written instructions naming his son as the rightful successor. Her objections have brought the kingdom’s succession process into dispute just days before the late monarch’s burial.
The announcement of Prince Edward was made on September 9, 2026, by Babiito clan leaders at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal. Monsignor Isiah Mayombo read the announcement on behalf of the clan. The succession committee said it had consulted and conducted due diligence before selecting the new king.
Komuntale, however, said the decision was premature and contradicted discussions held earlier in the day about reviewing her brother’s will with lawyers. She called for calm and said the announcement was not the final decision.
Princess challenges the succession announcement
In a statement reported by Pulse Uganda, Komuntale said the royal family had been preparing to examine the will before a successor was proclaimed.
“My brother left a will which stated very clearly that the next person in line is his son,” she said.
She also questioned why the announcement had been made before the family’s consultations were completed.
Komuntale said an earlier meeting involving Gen Henry Tumukunde had agreed that lawyers would be involved in reviewing the document. She said the royal family had expected another meeting before the successor was named.
The Princess Royal expressed concern that the disagreement had emerged while the kingdom was still mourning King Oyo.
“It is unfortunate that we have not even buried my brother yet and they are bringing all this confusion and turmoil. We cannot even mourn him in peace,” she said.
She appealed to the people of Tooro to remain peaceful and united as the succession process continues.
The will at the centre of the dispute
The disagreement centres on whether King Oyo left a will naming his son as heir and how that document should be applied.
Komuntale says the will provides a clear succession arrangement. She also says it contains instructions for an alternative successor if the first heir cannot take the throne.
A separate report says the will establishes a succession framework beginning with King Oyo’s direct lineage and provides a fallback arrangement involving his cousins in the family of Omusuga Charles Kamurasi.
The report says the document was presented in the presence of members of the royal family and government officials, including Komuntale, Princess Margaret Komubaizi, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Gen Henry Tumukunde, who represented President Yoweri Museveni.
The report also says the will directs that the succession be implemented peacefully and with dignity, with Tooro customs applying where they are consistent with the late king’s written instructions.
Why the announcement has become controversial
The dispute is not simply about the identity of the next king. It also concerns the authority to determine the legitimacy of a successor.
The Tooro Kingdom has said succession is a cultural right under the authority and custodianship of the Office of the Musuuga, the head of the Babiito royal clan.
A recent analysis by Daily Monitor described the succession dispute as raising questions about whether authority rests with the royal household, the Babiito clan or a process in which the Ugandan state becomes an influential arbiter.
The disagreement therefore has implications for the kingdom’s institutional stability. A succession process that is accepted by the royal family, clan leaders and the wider community would help preserve continuity. A prolonged dispute could instead create uncertainty over the legitimacy of the new monarch.
King Oyo’s death and the transition
King Oyo died on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States. His body was returned to Uganda on September 4 ahead of burial in the Tooro Kingdom.
He became king in 1995 at the age of three, following the death of his father, King Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. His accession made him the world’s youngest reigning monarch at the time.
King Oyo later became an international cultural figure and served as a United Nations ambassador advocating against HIV and AIDS. His death has been widely mourned in Uganda, where the Tooro Kingdom remains an important cultural institution.
President Yoweri Museveni received the late king’s body at Entebbe International Airport on September 4. The ceremony marked the beginning of the final stage of the national mourning period before his burial.
The succession debate has unfolded against that background of mourning and public attention.
The role of the Babiito clan
The Babiito clan is central to the traditional succession process in Tooro.
The Musuuga, as head of the royal clan, plays a key role in matters concerning the royal lineage and succession. The kingdom’s position is that the throne is a cultural institution, and the succession process must follow the customs and traditions of the Babiito.
At the same time, the royal family’s claim that King Oyo left a written will introduces another important consideration: whether the late king’s wishes should determine the succession and how those wishes should be reconciled with customary procedures.
The available reports do not yet provide a complete account of the legal or customary arguments on either side. It would therefore be premature to conclude that the announcement of Prince Edward has been legally or traditionally invalidated.
The importance of a peaceful resolution
The succession of a traditional king is a significant cultural event, but it does not change Uganda’s constitutional system.
Uganda’s traditional kingdoms were abolished in 1967 and restored in 1993 as cultural institutions. Their contemporary role is primarily cultural rather than executive or legislative.
The Tooro Kingdom’s influence is therefore expressed through heritage, identity, cultural ceremonies and community leadership rather than national political authority.
For the people of Tooro, however, the monarchy remains a powerful symbol of continuity. The succession of a new king is consequently more than a ceremonial appointment; it is also a moment that tests the kingdom’s ability to manage disagreement within its traditional institutions.
A peaceful and transparent process would help protect the dignity of the late king’s legacy and maintain public confidence in the monarchy.
What happens next?
The immediate question is whether the succession authorities will review the will and clarify the status of the announcement.
Komuntale has called for further consultations and legal review before a successor is proclaimed.
The available reports do not yet provide a confirmed timetable for the next meeting, the formal installation of Prince Edward or any legal proceedings that may follow.
The situation therefore remains unresolved. The announcement of Prince Edward is a significant development, but the Princess Royal’s objections mean that the succession process is still subject to dispute.
Conclusion
Princess Ruth Komuntale’s rejection of the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has brought the Tooro Kingdom’s succession debate into the open.
At the heart of the disagreement is the question of whether King Oyo’s written wishes, as described by his sister and reported in the media, should determine the next occupant of the throne.
The coming days will be important for the kingdom. A process that addresses the will, respects customary authority and allows the royal family and clan leaders to reach a shared understanding would help preserve the unity and dignity of Tooro.
For now, the announcement of Prince Edward remains contested, and the kingdom awaits further clarification from its recognised traditional authorities.
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