King Oyo of Tooro buried as succession dispute divides Uganda kingdom
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, one of the world’s longest-reigning monarchs and the ruler who ascended Uganda’s Tooro throne at just three years old, was laid to rest this week amid a bitter and widening dispute over who will lead the western kingdom next.
A king who defied expectations
Oyo died at 37, having spent more than three decades on the throne. He became king in 1995 and grew into a figure who commanded genuine affection across the Tooro region, which stretches across western Uganda toward the Rwenzori Mountains. Thousands turned out for his funeral, with mourners travelling from as far as Kampala and Fort Portal to pay their respects. But even as the crowds gathered, the question of succession was already splitting the kingdom’s most powerful voices.
TV presenter named as new monarch
Uganda’s government moved quickly. Authorities named Rwenzori Television news presenter Prince Kasagama Kyebambe VI as the new king of Tooro, a decision that caught many in the kingdom off guard. The announcement came within days of Oyo’s death and was framed as a matter of national stability. Officials stressed the need for a smooth transition in a kingdom of roughly 2.5 million people.
It’s a choice that’s inflamed rather than calmed tensions.
Oyo’s family pushed back hard, insisting the late king had privately designated an heir of his own choosing before he died. His mother, Best Kemigisa, has been among the most vocal, telling journalists that the family would not accept a successor imposed from outside the immediate royal line. She did not name the individual Oyo allegedly selected, but said documentation existed to support the claim.
Government calls for calm
A senior official from Uganda’s Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, which oversees cultural institutions, urged all parties to pursue the matter through established legal channels. “We understand emotions are running high, but the kingdom’s stability must come first,” the official said. “There are processes in place and everyone must respect them.”
That appeal landed with mixed results. Community leaders in Fort Portal held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, and local reports suggest at least two factions have now formed around rival claimants. So far, there’s been no violence, but the mood in the region is described by residents as tense and watchful.
What comes next for Tooro
Uganda has 65 officially recognised cultural institutions, and disputes over royal succession aren’t unprecedented. But the speed of this one, and the public nature of the family’s objections, makes it particularly delicate. And with Tooro’s cultural and economic significance to the broader Great Lakes region, the stakes feel higher than a purely internal matter.
Courts could become the next battleground. The family’s lawyers are reportedly reviewing their options, and a formal legal challenge could be filed within weeks. Whether Uganda’s government would accept a court-mandated reversal of its decision remains deeply uncertain. The kingdom that mourned a king this week may not find peace anytime soon.
