King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV was laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs in western Uganda on Saturday, as the Tooro Kingdom sought to move beyond a bitter dispute over who should succeed him.
Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, the late king’s appointed successor, dropped nine coffee berries into the grave during the burial ceremony, symbolising the formal transfer of power.
Thousands of mourners followed Oyo’s coffin through the streets of Fort Portal after royal guards dressed in orange shawls led the procession from a church service to the tombs.
Oyo, who attracted global attention when he was crowned at the age of three in 1995, died in the United States last month while receiving cancer treatment. He was 34.
Although Uganda is governed by an elected president, several traditional kingdoms that existed before British colonial rule continue to hold important ceremonial and cultural roles.
Oyo was remembered during the funeral service as a quiet but cheerful leader who carried the responsibilities of kingship from an exceptionally young age.
“Although he became king and carried responsibilities far beyond what most people ever experience, he never completely lost the young boy who loved to have fun,” his sister, Ruth Komuntale, told mourners.
The burial took place exactly 31 years after Oyo’s coronation and followed days of disagreement within the royal family over the succession.
A committee of royal clan members announced on Wednesday that it had selected Kijanangoma, Oyo’s 56-year-old cousin, as the new king. Kijanangoma is a news anchor and editor at Uganda’s state broadcaster, UBC.
However, members of Oyo’s immediate family maintain that a previously undisclosed son should inherit the throne in accordance with the late king’s will.
Oyo never married and was not publicly known to have children. The existence of a son was first disclosed by the kingdom’s prime minister in the statement announcing his death.
Supporters of Kijanangoma have questioned the claim, saying the family has not provided basic information about the alleged heir.
A source familiar with negotiations said Ugandan authorities helped secure Kijanangoma’s succession on Friday. The government did not immediately comment.
Church of Uganda Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu appealed for calm and unity, warning that statements made during mourning could deepen divisions and damage Oyo’s legacy.
Oyo’s own accession to the throne followed a prolonged succession battle that was eventually settled in court.
Alongside his ceremonial duties, the late king served as a United Nations goodwill ambassador and campaigned against HIV and AIDS. He also maintained close relations with former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, whom he appointed as a special adviser. Gaddafi contributed funds toward renovating the royal palace.
Kijanangoma, described by fellow journalists as quiet and reserved, will inherit both the throne and a substantial royal estate, including extensive landholdings and financial payments from Uganda’s central government.
