King Oyo Buried in Uganda as Family Battles Over Tooro Kingdom Successor

Thousands gathered in western Uganda on September 12, 2026, to bury King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV at age 34, following his death in the U.S. from cancer. His funeral coincided with a bitter succession dispute over who will lead the Tooro Kingdom next.

The flag-draped coffin carrying the remains of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV arrived in western Uganda amid deep mourning and mounting family tension. The monarch, who ascended to the throne at age three in September 1995 following the death of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Rukidi III, reigned over the Tooro Kingdom for 31 years. Guinness World Records had recognized him as the world’s youngest reigning monarch.

His body was returned to the country ahead of his burial on September 12, following his death in late August in the United States while receiving treatment for an aggressive form of cancer. President Yoweri Museveni joined mourners to pay respects at Entebbe Airport before the coffin was flown by military helicopter to Kyegegwa and then driven to the royal palace in Fort Portal. During a church service at Saint John’s Cathedral, his sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, offered a tearful remembrance of the young ruler.

“Although he became king and carried responsibilities far beyond what most people ever experience, he never completely lost the young boy who loved to have fun.”

Princess Komuntale also told mourners at the burial ceremony that He had a gift to make people laugh, adding through sobs, He always knew how to brighten my day.

The Karambi Royal Tombs Succession Ritual and Clan Selection

Even as thousands of mourners processed on foot through the streets of Fort Portal behind royal guards clad in orange shawls, a fierce succession dispute fractured the royal family. On the Wednesday prior to the funeral, a selection committee from the Babiito royal clan announced that Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor and editor at the public broadcaster UBC, had been chosen to succeed his cousin as king. During the burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs, Kijanangoma cast nine coffee berries into the grave, marking the formal handover of power in the western Ugandan kingdom.

King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV seated on the Tooro Kingdom throne in embroidered blue ceremonial robes and a royal — Photo: bellanaija.com

Behind the scenes, Ugandan authorities successfully pushed through Kijanangoma’s succession during crisis talks on Friday, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations.

The Babiito royal clan defended its decision as strictly observant of custom. Omusuuga Charles Karumasi, head of the Babiito royal clan, stated that We have done everything in observance of the culture and traditions of Tooro. We must all preserve peace and serenity.

Disputed Wills, Hidden Heirs, and House Arrest Allegations

The clan’s choice faced immediate pushback from the late king’s immediate family. Princess Komuntale rejected the selection committee’s decision, accusing “evil vultures” of conspiring against her and the Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa. She produced a will drafted by King Oyo in 2022 that designated a biological son as heir, without giving his name. The claim caught the Tooro elite by surprise, as many had never heard of the child, and his name was omitted from the succession vote.

The flag-draped coffin with the body of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, of the Tooro Kingdom, who died in late — Photo: reuters.com

Supporters of Kijanangoma’s succession pointed out that the royal family had been unable to produce basic information regarding the purported son. Compounding the turmoil, the late king’s mother alleged that she and other members of the royal family had been placed under effective house arrest amid the succession battle.

Uganda is a republic that officially recognizes four traditional kingdoms, which function primarily as cultural institutions holding limited political power.

Presidential Appeals for Unity and the Legacy of King Oyo

Amid the bickering, national leaders stepped in to urge calm. President Yoweri Museveni, who joined mourners at Entebbe Airport and later issued a statement read at the Saturday ceremony, called on the Batoro to use peaceful and lawful means to resolve this issue and to favour unity over division. The president added, Once the matter of the new king of the Batoro is settled, we will be happy to work with him, just as we did with His Highness Oyo.

King Oyo Buried in Uganda as Family Battles Over Tooro Kingdom Successor — Photo: Punchng

During his three-decade reign, King Oyo grew from a toddler monarch into a prominent cultural figure. After reaching adulthood in 2010 following guidance from a council of regents during his early childhood, he focused heavily on youth leadership, vocational training, environmental sustainability, and healthcare initiatives. He served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador championing the fight against HIV and AIDS.