Tooro Kingdom has postponed a meeting of its Supreme Council, the Orukurato Orukuru Orwensanju, that was scheduled for today to discuss the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. The meeting is traditionally expected to consider and present the burial programme and arrangements for a deceased King and, subsequently, facilitate the announcement of the heir to the throne.
In a statement issued on Tuesday morning, Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomire said the meeting had been postponed until further notice, with a new date to be communicated by his office. Rwomire said he was in Kampala meeting government officials and other relevant authorities to coordinate arrangements for the return and burial of the late King.
“At this solemn moment, there can be no greater priority for the Kingdom than bringing our King home and laying him to rest with the dignity, honor and respect befitting His Majesty,” Rwomire said. He directed that unnecessary Kingdom meetings, debates and activities that could distract from the funeral arrangements be put aside. Rwomire also called on Batooro leaders and institutions to exercise restraint and avoid disagreements and speculation during the mourning period.
The postponement comes amid uncertainty over the succession to the Tooro throne, following a dispute over the existence and recognition of a son reportedly left behind by King Oyo. While announcing the King’s death on August 27, Rwomire said Oyo had left a son who would be his heir, adding that the identity of the child would be formally revealed at an appropriate time in accordance with Tooro traditions.
President Yoweri Museveni also said during his eulogy for the late King that Queen Mother Best Kemigisa had informed him that Oyo had left behind a young son who would continue the royal line. Museveni described the information as a source of relief following the King’s death.
However, Omusuga Charles Kamurasi, head of the Babiito Royal Clan, has disputed knowledge of the reported heir and said the royal clan has a role in determining the successor. The Babiito clan has since constituted a 21-member committee of clan elders to examine the succession question and identify and formally announce the next King.
The late King’s body is expected to arrive in Uganda on Thursday, with preparations for the funeral rites underway. King Oyo died aged 34 while receiving treatment in the United States, bringing to an end a 31-year reign that began when he ascended the Tooro throne at the age of three in 1995-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
