Uganda's King Oyo buried amid calls for unity over his successor

Uganda's King Oyo laid to rest amid appeals for unity over his successor

Uganda's King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who was once the world's youngest reigning monarch, was buried on Saturday, following a dispute that erupted days earlier over who should succeed him.

Oyo, 34, who had been on the throne of the traditional kingdom of Tooro in western Uganda since he was three, died last month while receiving cancer treatment in the US.

Tooro is among Uganda's traditional kingdoms. They were abolished in 1967 but reinstated in the 1990s under President Museveni. Their monarchs are acknowledged as cultural leaders, not political rulers.

Thousands of mourners stood along the streets as the king's casket was taken to the royal tombs in Fort Portal, where a private ceremony was held.

Oyo was only a toddler when he was installed as Tooro's king and, according to Guinness World Records, held the title of the world's youngest monarch during his reign.

TV news presenter Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, 56, who was selected by clan elders as the next monarch, reportedly dropped nine coffee beans into Oyo's grave, a ritual marking the end of one reign and the beginning of another.

However, days before that, Oyo's family had rejected Kijanangoma, the late monarch's cousin, as Tooro's new king.

Oyo's sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, said the late king had left a will, written in 2022, naming his young son as his successor.

The boy's identity has never been revealed.

Meanwhile, his mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, said royal guards had been removed from the palace and soldiers deployed. She said this limited the royal family's movement and their ability to welcome visitors, describing it as "house arrest".

On Saturday, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, called for unity.

"Words spoken in grief can cause pain, division and conflict. It can even destroy the legacy of the king we are mourning," he told mourners.

Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni also urged that the issue be resolved "and to favour unity over division".

The clan responsible for the succession defended its decision to choose Kijanangoma.

Omusuuga Charles Karumasi, head of the Babiito royal clan, said: "We have done everything in observance of the culture and traditions of Tooro. We must all preserve peace and serenity."