The succession battle in Tooro Kingdom has taken a dramatic turn, with Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Tooro Kingdom authorities reportedly opposing the naming of Prince Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi as the successor to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The development has thrown the question of who will occupy the Tooro throne back into uncertainty, just days before King Oyo is due to be buried.
At the center of the dispute is reportedly a 2022 Will attributed to the late Omukama, which sets out a specific order of succession.
According to the Will, King Oyo’s son was designated as the first heir and successor to the throne. The document reportedly provides for a different succession path only if his son is unable to assume the position.
In that situation, the Will names Prince Komwiswa Yoweri, the son of Musuga Charles Kamurasi Akiiki, as the next person in line.
If Prince Komwiswa Yoweri were also unable to take up the throne, the Will reportedly names another cousin, Prince Nyaika Solomon, also a son of Musuga Charles Kamurasi Akiiki.
The document describes Musuga Charles Kamurasi Akiiki as King Oyo’s paternal uncle.
The succession provisions have now become a central point in the disagreement surrounding Prince Edward’s reported naming as the new Omukama.
The development is particularly significant because Prince Edward had only recently emerged as the reported successor, ending earlier speculation over who would take over following King Oyo’s death.
That announcement had followed weeks of uncertainty, with George Kamurasi Desmond David among the names previously mentioned in discussions about the next occupant of the throne.
There were also questions surrounding reports that King Oyo had left behind a biological son who could potentially have a claim to the throne.
With Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and kingdom authorities now reportedly opposing Prince Edward’s naming, the succession question has entered a new phase.
The dispute comes as Tooro prepares to bury King Oyo on September 12, 2026, meaning the kingdom is confronting a sensitive royal transition while still mourning its late monarch.
For now, the 2022 Will and its stated order of succession have emerged as a key part of the unfolding debate over who should eventually occupy the Tooro throne.