From Newsroom to Throne: Journalist Crowned King of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom

The Tooro kingdom has a new king, and he is a face many Ugandans already know well. Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a veteran journalist who spent years as an anchor and editor at the national broadcaster, has been crowned ruler of one of Uganda’s four main historical kingdoms.

Now officially known as King Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma Nyabongo I, the 56-year-old has gone from telling the news to making it. His path to the throne, however, has been anything but smooth, stirring up a bitter family dispute that has drawn attention far beyond Uganda.

The End of the “Boy King” Era

For the past 31 years, Tooro was ruled by King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. His story captured global attention when he became king in 1995 at just three years old, after his father’s death. At the time, he was the youngest monarch in the world.

Oyo reigned for more than three decades until he died of cancer last month at the age of 34. His passing opened the door to a succession battle that has divided the royal family.

A Coronation Steeped in Tradition

The coronation day was filled with ceremony and celebration. Rituals began at midnight, and Kijanangoma took part in a series of traditional rites before walking roughly 4 kilometers to the Karuziika royal palace, where he was crowned.

According to the kingdom’s information minister, Charles Mwanguhya, the crowning was to be followed by a staged fight, a symbolic reminder that kingship is never easily won. Afterward, members of the royal Babiito clan were to bless the new monarch.

A Disputed Succession

Tradition says the throne should pass to a recognized son of the late king. Some close relatives say Oyo did leave a young son, along with a will naming the child as his heir.

The problem is that this son has never been introduced to the public. He was also not recognized by the 21-member committee of Babiito clan elders responsible for choosing the king. That committee ultimately selected Kijanangoma instead.

Oyo was never publicly married, and very little is known about the woman said to be his wife or their child.

A Grieving Mother Speaks Out

Oyo’s mother, Queen Best Kemigisa, has strongly objected to the decision. She believes her son’s will should have been honored.

She described the naming of a second king, made right after the will was read to the family, as deeply painful for her as a mother. She also spoke of celebrations for the new king happening just meters away from where her son’s body lay.

According to Kemigisa, Oyo’s son, who lives in Texas in the United States, had planned to return home. That plan fell apart amid what she described as a tense and divided atmosphere. In a social media post, she argued that no child should have to risk being drawn into hostility simply by returning to his father’s homeland.

The Kingdom’s Response

The succession committee has stood firm, insisting it followed Tooro customs and traditions.

Mwanguhya said the child in question has never been presented anywhere, and that there is a growing acceptance that Oyo, sadly, did not leave a son. He added that the crown has now shifted to a different branch within the ruling clan.

Royal sources say any king must come from the Babiito clan, and specifically from the line of King George David Matthew Kamurasi Rukidi III, who ruled from 1928 to 1965 as Tooro’s 11th king. Kijanangoma and Oyo are cousins, and both are grandsons of Rukidi III.

Other Contenders

Kijanangoma was not the only candidate considered. Another possible heir was Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who plays as goalkeeper and captain for South East Dons, a well-known amateur football club in the United Kingdom.

According to the committee, he turned down the throne, saying he had other commitments.

Government Backing

Despite the family dispute, Uganda’s government threw its support behind the clan’s choice. Attorney General Sam Mayanja said the coronation could go ahead because no formal complaint had been lodged against Kijanangoma.

The government announced the coronation date, and President Yoweri Museveni attended the ceremony. Museveni’s son, army chief Muhoozi Kainerugaba, also publicly wished the new king a long reign.

The Role of Uganda’s Kings

Uganda’s traditional monarchs hold no formal political power, but they carry real cultural weight and enjoy strong loyalty in their communities.

The country has four main kingdoms, with Buganda, which covers the capital Kampala, being the largest and most influential. The kingdoms were abolished in 1967 but restored by Museveni’s government in the early 1990s. Officials said the move was meant to encourage cultural pride and national unity, though some see it as a way to win the loyalty of local communities.

A Name Written in History

Kijanangoma’s name itself reflects his royal roots. His father, the first Kijanangoma, was born in the same year Rukidi III took the throne. The king gave the child a name meaning “the one who comes with the royal drum.” Two generations later, that name has taken on new meaning.

From Village Boy to Broadcaster

Born in 1970, Kijanangoma grew up in Kidukuru village in Fort Portal, around 300 kilometers from Kampala. He left home to continue his education and earned a degree in mass communication from Makerere University in 1999.

He then built a broadcasting career lasting more than two decades, working in neighboring Rwanda and at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.

After being named king, he promised that the palace would be open to ordinary people and that his reign would focus on unity and development. He told his subjects he could not succeed alone and would need to work alongside them. He also said he would draw on the network he built over 21 years in journalism to bring benefits to his people.

A Mother’s Pride

His mother, Assimwe Yusta Kijanangoma, believes he is ready. She says she raised him with the strict traditional values of the old kingdom, balancing laughter with discipline.

She describes him as polite and calm, someone who avoids arguments and says little even when he has been wronged. While she is proud, she admits to mixed feelings, knowing her son takes the throne following the death of a man she regarded as great.

What Lies Ahead

King Nyabongo I begins his reign with public support from the government but lingering tension within the royal family. How he handles that divide may shape his early years on the throne. His long career listening to people and telling their stories could prove to be his greatest asset.