By Wamala Sipirian
Published: September 18, 2026
The succession dispute in Tooro Kingdom has intensified after Prince Patrick Mpuuga, son of Omusuuga Charles Akiiki Kamurasi, rejected the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new Omukama of Tooro.
Mpuuga, a member of the Babiito royal family, said the wishes of the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV should be respected and considered in determining his successor.
His position places him at odds with his father, Omusuuga Kamurasi, the head of the Babiito royal clan, which selected Kijanangoma following the death of King Oyo.
Mpuuga Calls for Oyo’s Will to Be Respected
Mpuuga argued that a will reportedly signed by the late king in 2022 should take precedence over earlier succession arrangements.
According to Mpuuga, the document identified King Oyo’s preferred successor and provided guidance on what should happen if the first heir could not assume the throne.
He said the document represented the late monarch’s final wishes and should therefore be considered during the succession process.
“It is very clear that the King’s will supersedes any will that existed in the past,” Mpuuga said during a press conference.
Mpuuga also argued that those relying on earlier royal documents were overlooking the wishes expressed by the late Omukama Oyo.
Babiito Clan Selects Kijanangoma
The disagreement follows the Babiito Royal Clan’s decision to select Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as successor to King Oyo.
The clan reached the decision after Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who had initially emerged as the preferred candidate, reportedly declined the throne.
According to the source, the Babiito clan said its decision was based on traditional succession arrangements and provisions contained in the will of former Omukama Sir George David Rukidi Kamurasi III.
However, members of King Oyo’s family have challenged that position, arguing that the late king’s own will should guide the succession.
Mpuuga has sided with Princess Ruth Komuntale and Princess Elizabeth Bagaya in the dispute, maintaining that Oyo’s wishes should be central to the transition.
Dispute Over Prince Regent Position
Mpuuga also raised the separate issue of the Prince Regent position, claiming that King Oyo had expressed a wish for Mpuuga to succeed his father as Omusuuga.
Mpuuga said he personally discussed the matter with the late king and that Oyo wanted younger members of the royal family to play a greater role in protecting Tooro’s culture and traditions.
He said the proposal was intended to ensure that knowledge about the kingdom would be passed from older generations to younger members of the royal family.
“His Majesty wanted the younger generation to take part in preserving our culture and ensuring continuity,” Mpuuga said.
Mpuuga acknowledged that the plan did not formally take effect before King Oyo’s death but maintained that the late monarch’s wishes should still be respected.
Call for Peaceful Resolution
Mpuuga called for a peaceful resolution to the succession dispute and urged members of the royal family to address their differences without creating further divisions.
He also appealed to security agencies to support efforts to maintain peace as discussions over the kingdom’s future leadership continue.
The disagreement has created competing positions within the Babiito royal family over the interpretation of succession arrangements, the role of King Oyo’s reported will and the selection of his successor.
The recognition of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma therefore faces opposition from some members of the royal family as consultations over the succession continue.
The debate is expected to remain focused on the late king’s reported wishes, traditional succession practices and the process for determining Tooro’s next monarch.