Uganda's King Oyo Buried Following Succession Dispute

King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of the Tooro kingdom was buried in western Uganda after dying of cancer in the United States at age 34. The burial took place at the Karambi Royal Tombs, where thousands of mourners joined a procession through the capital, Fort Portal. Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a 56 year old news anchor and editor at the state broadcaster UBC, was formally installed as the successor. During the ceremony, Kijanangoma cast nine coffee berries into the grave and poured milk from a calabash to introduce the new king to the spirits.

Oyo took the throne in 1995 at the age of three, which earned him recognition as the world's youngest monarch. During his reign, he served as a UN goodwill ambassador for the fight against HIV and Aids and engaged in environmental protection. To honor his memory, the Church of Uganda announced plans to plant 15 million trees.

The transition of power followed a period of conflict within the royal family. While a royal clan committee selected Kijanangoma, some family members argued that Oyo's previously unknown son should succeed him according to his will. Supporters of Kijanangoma noted that no basic information regarding the purported son had been produced. A source indicated that Ugandan authorities eventually pushed through Kijanangoma's succession.

Reporting on the event differed slightly by political lean. A center left source emphasized the bitter nature of the succession battle and mentioned Oyo's ties to former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. A center right source focused more on the traditional rituals of the burial and the ceremonial nature of the monarchy in Uganda.