Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire has called for calm and unity amid growing tensions over the succession to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, saying the dispute should not overshadow the king’s burial.
In a communication posted on his official X handle on Thursday morning, Rwomiire said competing positions over the succession, including the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new king and claims that the late Omukama left a will naming his preferred heir, risk deepening divisions in the kingdom at a time when the people are still mourning.
Rwomiire acknowledged that the succession question is serious and will eventually have to be addressed, but questioned whether it was appropriate to settle it before King Oyo’s burial. His appeal comes after a 21-member committee constituted by members of the Babiito royal clan announced Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new monarch.
The announcement was immediately rejected by some members of the royal family, led by the Princess Royal, Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, and Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, who said King Oyo had left a will expressing his wishes on succession. Komuntale argued that the Babiito should have respected the wishes of her late brother.
Rwomiire said the disagreement should not be allowed to overshadow the burial of King Oyo, whose remains are expected to be laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal on Saturday. He said there would be time after the burial to examine the alleged will, hear the competing positions, consider the customs and traditions of Tooro alongside applicable laws, and allow the relevant cultural and legal institutions to determine the succession.
Rwomiire also appealed to the Government of Uganda to provide guidance and support to maintain peace and order during the sensitive period. He, however, stressed that this should not be interpreted as a request for the government to choose a king for Tooro. Instead, he said, the government should help create an environment in which the cultural, legal and institutional processes can take place peacefully and fairly.
The Prime Minister further called on elders, cultural leaders and other credible persons to help guide the kingdom through the dispute. The succession dispute has created competing positions within Tooro, with the Babiito committee maintaining that it followed the customs and traditions of the kingdom in selecting Kijanangoma, while members of the late king’s family insist that his wishes, as contained in the alleged will, should be respected. The disagreement comes as the kingdom prepares to lay King Oyo to rest, placing renewed focus on the need to preserve unity and peace during the mourning period-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
