- A traditional Ugandan kingdom has become engulfed in a bitter succession dispute after the family of a king who recently died rejected the selection of a television news anchor as his successor.
- In a statement on Thursday, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa Akiiki denounced a “self-appointed group of clan members” who had selected a new king despite having had the will read to them hours earlier.
- The prime minister called for restraint on Thursday, saying: “There will be time to examine the will, to hear those advancing a different position, and to consider our customs, the applicable law and the proper institutions through which succession should be determined.”
- He added that “that process should take place calmly and credibly, not through competing announcements, confrontation, or attempts to establish facts on the ground while our king still awaits burial.”
A bitter succession dispute has erupted in Uganda's Tooro kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, 2023, in the US, where he was undergoing cancer treatment.
The royal clan's succession committee controversially selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a television news anchor, as the new crown prince. However, Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, Oyo's sister, contested this choice, revealing that her brother's will names an unknown son as the rightful heir.
The will states: “I hereby declare and direct that if, at the date of my death, I am survived by a son lawfully recognised as my biological son, I appoint him as my heir to the throne of the kingdom of Tooro.”
Queen Mother Best Kemigisa Akiiki condemned the selection process, labeling the group that chose the new king as “self-appointed” and criticized their actions as premature.2
The Tooro kingdom's prime minister, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, confirmed the existence of the son during the announcement of Oyo's death, stating, “His majesty leaves behind a prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time.” He urged for calm and adherence to tradition, emphasizing that the succession process should be conducted credibly and without conflict.34
The kingdom now faces a critical moment as it navigates the complexities of royal succession amidst familial disputes and public scrutiny.
“Queen Mother Best Kemigisa Akiiki said the clan members had the will read to them hours before selecting a new king. The prime minister urged that succession be determined calmly and credibly, not through competing announcements while the king still awaits burial.”
theguardian.com
