Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom on Saturday buried King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the monarch who became the world’s youngest reigning monarch after ascending the throne at age 3 in 1995.
King Oyo, who died on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States, was laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal following a funeral service at St John’s Cathedral.
Thousands of mourners, cultural leaders and government officials gathered to pay their final respects to the late monarch, whose 31-year reign made him a prominent symbol of Uganda’s traditional heritage.
The burial, however, took place against the backdrop of a bitter dispute over who should succeed him.
The Babiito royal clan’s succession committee selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, as the next Omukama of Tooro.
The decision has been challenged by members of King Oyo’s immediate family, including his mother, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, and his sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale.
They insist that the late king left a will naming his biological son as heir. The existence and legitimacy of the alleged son have become central issues in the succession crisis, with clan elders reportedly questioning the lack of publicly verified information about the child.
The dispute intensified in the days leading to the burial, with reports of disagreements over the royal family’s movements and security around the palace. The Queen Mother also alleged that royal guards had been removed and replaced by troops, a claim that added to tensions within the kingdom.
Traditional burial rites required a successor to be in place before the late king could be laid to rest. During the ceremony, the incoming monarch was expected to perform a ritual involving the casting of nine coffee berries into the grave.
Despite the disagreements, the burial proceeded as planned, marking the end of King Oyo’s reign and the beginning of a new chapter for the Tooro Kingdom.
King Oyo was remembered not only for his unusual accession to the throne but also for his advocacy work in health, youth empowerment and HIV/AIDS awareness. He served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador and remained a widely recognised figure beyond Uganda.
Although Tooro is a traditional kingdom without formal political power, its monarchy retains considerable cultural and social influence.
The unresolved succession dispute now poses a test for the kingdom’s unity, as the royal family and clan authorities continue to differ over the rightful heir.
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