Gen. Muhoozi backs Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I as new Tooro King, calls for coronation

FORT PORTAL — Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba has publicly endorsed Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, also known by his regnal name Nyabongo I, as the new Omukama of Tooro.

In a post on X on Tuesday, September 15, Gen. Muhoozi declared that the new monarch was “His Majesty Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I” and called for his reign to be long and prosperous.

“My fellow Ugandans the new Omukama of Tooro is His Majesty Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. Long may he reign. God bless him always. God bless Tooro,” Gen. Muhoozi wrote.

The CDF further invoked Tooro’s traditional spiritual heritage, saying: “The Bachwezi have approved him.”

He also urged those opposed to the succession decision to abandon legal battles and instead focus on preparations for the new king’s coronation.

“And I don’t want to hear of court cases. I want to hear of a Coronation date,” Gen. Muhoozi said.

Gen. Muhoozi’s remarks come amid a contested succession following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, 2026, aged 34.

The Babiito royal clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a cousin of the late king and former Uganda Broadcasting Corporation news anchor, as Oyo’s successor. The selection was announced on September 9 by the Babiito clan.

During King Oyo’s burial on September 12, the head of the Babiito royal clan, Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, publicly declared Kijanangoma the new king, saying the process had followed Ugandan law as well as Tooro’s cultural norms and traditions.

The new king subsequently took the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. A traditional ritual at the burial of the late King Oyo, in which the new monarch cast nine coffee berries into the grave, was also performed as part of the transition.

However, the succession has been disputed by members of King Oyo’s immediate family, who have argued that the late monarch left a will identifying a biological son as his heir. The dispute has raised questions over the authority of the royal clan and the process for determining the legitimate successor.

Gen Muhoozi’s call for a coronation therefore signals a strong preference for moving beyond the succession dispute and proceeding with the formal installation of Nyabongo I.

His message also places emphasis on unity and continuity within the Tooro institution, concluding with a blessing for the new monarch and the kingdom: God bless him always. God bless Tooro.

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