Several thousand mourners gathered in western Uganda on Saturday to bid farewell to King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the former child monarch whose death has triggered a succession dispute within the Tooro royal family.
Oyo, who ascended the throne at the age of three, died at 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
He ruled the Tooro Kingdom for 31 years and was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s youngest reigning monarch.
His funeral took place at Saint John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal, the headquarters of the kingdom, with members of the royal family, traditional leaders, government officials and residents attending the ceremony.
Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, became emotional while recalling the late king.
“He had a gift to make people laugh,” she said. “He always knew how to brighten my day.”
However, the burial came amid growing uncertainty over who would inherit the Tooro throne.
A selection committee from the Babiito royal clan announced on Wednesday that Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late monarch and a news anchor with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, had been selected as Oyo’s successor.
The decision has been rejected by Princess Komuntale, who accused unnamed members of the royal establishment of plotting against her and the Queen Mother.
She also presented what she described as a will written by Oyo in 2022, saying it designated his “biological son” as the next king.
The alleged son was not named, and the claim reportedly came as a surprise to sections of the Tooro elite because the child was not included in the succession process.
Oyo’s mother has also alleged that she and other members of the royal family were effectively placed under house arrest.
The dispute has placed the Babiito royal clan, which traditionally handles questions surrounding royal lineage and succession, at the centre of the controversy.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni appealed for calm as the king was laid to rest.
“Once the matter of the new king of the Batoro is settled, we will be happy to work with him, just as we did with His Highness Oyo,” a statement read during the ceremony said.
Museveni urged the Batoro to use peaceful and lawful means to resolve the dispute and “favour unity over division.”
The head of the Babiito royal clan, Omusuuga Charles Karumasi, defended the succession process, saying it had followed the traditions and culture of Tooro.
“We have done everything in observance of the culture and traditions of Tooro,” he said, urging the kingdom to maintain peace and serenity.
Although Uganda is a republic, it officially recognises four traditional kingdoms. They have limited political powers and mainly serve cultural and traditional functions.
For Tooro, Oyo’s death closes an extraordinary chapter that began with a three-year-old boy taking the throne. His burial, however, has opened another chapter — one in which the kingdom must now navigate competing claims over who should succeed him.
