UBC TV journalist Kijanangoma selected as new Tooro king

What the report says

Uganda Broadcasting Corporation news anchor Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has been selected as the next Omukama of Tooro, according to The Observer. The announcement was made on Wednesday evening at Karuziika Palace by elders of the Babiito royal clan, which oversees the Tooro royal lineage. The selection is intended to fill the throne after the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru IV.

The Observer reported that the succession process has been complicated by disputes within the kingdom following Oyo’s death in the United States on August 27 at age 34. Oyo had reigned for nearly three decades, having become king as a child in 1995 after the death of his father, King Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. Clan leaders said a 21-member committee was formed to handle the search for a successor.

The article said the transition became contentious amid claims that Oyo may have left a biological son who could qualify under Tooro succession customs. The Babiito royal clan said the child had not been formally presented for verification, while some officials and commentators raised questions about the process. The report adds that another candidate, Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, had earlier been put forward but later reportedly stepped back. The succession matters are significant because the Tooro monarchy remains an important cultural institution in western Uganda, and the final handover will shape the kingdom’s leadership after Oyo’s burial, scheduled for September 12.