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A traditional Ugandan kingdom named television news anchor Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as its new monarch on Wednesday following the death of King Oyo Nyimba.
Oyo Nyimba, who made history in 1995 as the world’s youngest reigning monarch at age three, died of cancer in the United States on August 27 at age 34.
The royal clan’s succession committee announced Kijanangoma’s appointment during a press conference in Fort Portal, the capital of Tooro Kingdom in western Uganda.
The selection triggered immediate opposition from the royal family and kingdom officials.
Hours after the committee announced Kijanangoma, Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, rejected the choice alongside their mother, Best Kemigisa.
Komuntale said her late brother left a formal will naming his son as his rightful heir.
This dispute directly contradicts an earlier statement by Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire, who also said the unmarried king left behind a child to inherit the throne.
The political rift unfolds as the kingdom prepares for the late monarch’s state funeral on Saturday at the royal tombs near his Fort Portal palace.
Oyo Nyimba, who served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador advocating against HIV/AIDS, wielded significant cultural influence across the region.
While Uganda functions as a constitutional republic, Tooro stands as one of its prominent historical kingdoms, leaving the succession battle to play out under intense national scrutiny.
