By Wamala Sipirian
Published: September 18, 2026
FORT PORTAL — Queen Mother Best Kemigisa has reportedly handed over the keys to Karuziika Palace, paving the way for Babiito elders and Tooro Kingdom officials to begin preparations for the installation of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the next Omukama of Tooro.
The reported handover comes days after the burial of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, whose death triggered a contested succession process within the kingdom.
Oyo died in the United States on August 27, 2026, aged 34. He became Omukama in 1995 at the age of three following the death of his father, Omukama Patrick Matthew David Kaboyo Olimi III.
Kijanangoma’s Installation Planned for September 29
The Babiito Royal Clan selected Kijanangoma after its 21-member succession committee initially approached London-based footballer and royal prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who reportedly declined the throne.
The Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council subsequently endorsed Kijanangoma as king-designate.
Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi, head of the Babiito Royal Clan, has announced that Kijanangoma’s coronation will take place on September 29, 2026, at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal.
Kamurasi said the Supreme Council had endorsed Kijanangoma, also known as Nyabongo I, before the Babiito clan proceeded to set the coronation date.
Preparations are expected to involve Babiito elders, kingdom officials, cultural leaders and other stakeholders.
Oyo Family Questions Succession Process
Despite the preparations, the succession remains contested by members of the late king’s immediate family.
Queen Mother Kemigisa and Princess Ruth Komuntale have questioned the process used to select Kijanangoma. They have maintained that the late king left a will in 2022 that identifies a biological son as his preferred successor.
The reported will has become a central issue in the succession dispute, with questions emerging over how the document should be considered alongside Tooro customs and the legal framework governing traditional institutions.
The disagreement has created competing positions within the royal family as the Babiito clan and Supreme Council proceed with plans for Kijanangoma’s installation.
Security Dispute at Karuziika Palace
Security arrangements around Karuziika Palace also became a point of contention during the mourning period.
The Queen Mother had raised concerns about the presence and deployment of security personnel around the palace, with some reports describing the restrictions as a lockdown or house arrest.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces rejected that description.
The UPDF said it had not withdrawn the Tooro Royal Guards and denied that residents of the palace were under lockdown or house arrest.
The military said security had instead been reinforced because of large crowds attending royal events and concerns about threats linked to the proximity of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Palace Handover Comes as Preparations Begin
The reported handover of Karuziika Palace marks another development as Tooro transitions from mourning for King Oyo to preparations for a new reign.
The palace is expected to become a central location for preparations ahead of the September 29 coronation.
However, the reported handover does not resolve the wider disagreement over the succession.
The Babiito Royal Clan and Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council are proceeding with preparations for Kijanangoma’s enthronement, while members of Oyo’s family continue to raise questions about the late monarch’s reported will and the process used to select his successor.
The dispute over the will, traditional succession practices and the authority of the selection process is therefore expected to remain central as Tooro approaches the planned coronation.