Uganda has conducted the burial ceremony for King Oyo of the ancient Tooro Kingdom following his death from cancer, while religious leaders and the president have called for unity under the new monarch.
Foreign news agencies report that Uganda held the royal funeral for His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, once the world's youngest reigning king, on Saturday, 12 Sep 2026 GMT+7, amid disputes over his successor.
King Oyo passed away at age 34 while undergoing cancer treatment in the United States in August. He ruled the ancient Tooro Kingdom in western Uganda since being crowned at just three years old.
Tooro is one of Uganda’s ancient kingdoms, which were abolished in 1967 but reinstated in the 1990s under President Museveni’s government. The kings are recognized mainly as cultural rather than political leaders.
Thousands of mourners lined the streets as the king’s coffin was transported to the royal mausoleum in Fort Portal, the site of a private funeral service.
Reports say Prince Edward Rugidi Kijanangoma, a 56-year-old television announcer appointed by family elders as the next king, threw nine coffee beans into King Oyo’s grave, symbolizing the end of one reign and the beginning of another.
However, just days earlier, King Oyo’s family rejected Prince Kijanangoma’s claim to the throne; he is a cousin of the late king.
Princess Ruth Komuntale, King Oyo’s elder sister, stated the late king made a will in 2022 naming his young son as successor, though the boy’s identity has never been publicly disclosed.
Meanwhile, Queen Best Kemigisa, King Oyo’s mother, revealed that royal guards have been withdrawn from the palace, replaced by soldiers who restrict the royal family’s movements and visitors, describing it as akin to being “under house arrest.”
On Saturday, Stephen Kazimba Mugalu, Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, called for unity during King Oyo’s funeral.
“Words spoken in grief can cause pain, division, and conflict, potentially destroying the legacy of the king we mourn,” the archbishop told attendees.
President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda also urged resolution of the dispute, emphasizing the need to “prioritize reconciliation over division.”
Omuzuka Charles Karumasi, leader of the Babiito royal clan, defended the choice of Prince Kijanangoma as successor, stating, “We have followed all Tooro cultural traditions properly. We must all work to maintain peace and stability.”
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc