Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has been selected as the new Omukama (King) of Tooro, succeeding the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died last month in the United States.
Kijanangoma, 36, was selected by the Babiito Clan succession committee following the death of King Oyo, who passed away on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 while undergoing cancer treatment in the United States.
The selection was announced by Msgr Isaiah Mayombo, the Vicar General of Fort Portal Diocese, who confirmed Kijanangoma as the new Omukama.
According to the succession process, 19 of the 21 members of the committee voted in favour of Kijanangoma, giving him a decisive majority.
Kijanangoma comes from the royal Babiito family and has a direct connection to Tooro’s royal lineage. He is the son of the late Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma and a grandson of Omukama Sir George David Rukidi Kamurasi III.
Before ascending to the throne, Kijanangoma built a career in journalism and broadcasting. He worked with Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) for nearly a decade as a news anchor. He had earlier worked with a television station in Rwanda before returning to Uganda.
His transition from journalism to the traditional leadership of Tooro marks a significant change in his career as he takes on the responsibility of providing cultural leadership to the Batooro.
King Oyo ascended the Tooro throne in 1995 at the age of three, following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III. At the time, Oyo became the world’s youngest reigning monarch.
For more than three decades, King Oyo served as the cultural leader of the Batooro and became one of Uganda’s most prominent traditional leaders.
Beyond his role as Omukama, Oyo was also involved in health and youth advocacy. He served as a United Nations ambassador for HIV and AIDS advocacy and participated in initiatives aimed at promoting the health and welfare of young people.
His death set in motion the traditional succession process within the Tooro Kingdom, culminating in the selection of Kijanangoma as his successor.
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