Uganda journalist set to become new king of Tooro Kingdom amid succession dispute

A journalist was on Tuesday set to be crowned as the king of a traditional monarchy that lost its onetime boy king last month triggering widespread grief and a succession dispute in Ugandas Tooro KingdomThe journalist is a prince who had long been employed as a broadcaster and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corp He picked the regnal name of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo He performed rituals overnight was ushered into the palace and will be formally unveiled to his followers later on TuesdayTraditional kingdoms were banned in the 1960s after Ugandas independence from British colonial rule by a republican president who said that he wanted to unify the country They were restored in 1993Traditional leaders dont wield any formal authority in this East African country and are legally barred from engaging in partisan politics But they wield immense authority among their people as guardians of traditional cultureThe coronation ceremony in Fort Portal a remote town in western Uganda and not far from the Congo border will be watched by thousands in person and on televised broadcastsNyabongo wasnt particularly high in the line of succession but elders within the kingdoms ruling clan known as the Babiito selected him from a pool of eligible princes after King Oyo Nyimbas death from cancer at age 34 in August without a publicly known heirThe queen mother Best Kemigisa disputed that decision and charged that the written will of King Oyo hadnt been followed in the selection of NyabongoKemigisa said that Oyo left behind a young son whose identity would be unveiled at the right time casting doubt on the legitimacy of Nyabongo and the decision of the Babiito to choose himLocal media cited disagreeable scenes including a brief disagreement over custody of the kings remains ndash at Oyos Sept 12 funeralAlthough Oyos alleged son is yet to be revealed purported photos of a Baby Oyo have flooded social media giving hope to devotees of the deceased monarch But critics say that the child if he exists should have been introduced to the kingdoms elders while his father was still aliveThey have demonstrated that these are the norms of the kingdom Nicholas Sengoba a prominent political analyst in Uganda said of the Babiitos selection of Nyabongo Many of these positions may not be popularOyo was crowned in 1995 at the age of 3 after his fathers death He was a curious child in colorful robes and an object of adoration for his hundreds of thousands of followersAt his coronation he went through a series of tribal rituals and was led into the royal cemetery to perform a comingofage ceremony successfully tossing nine coffee beans into his fathers tombOyo once held the unofficial title of the worlds youngest king a mesmerizing figure even for world leaders introduced to him at national events including South Africas Nelson MandelaLibyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was one of those who befriended the Tooro royal family as if they were part of his extended family Gadhafi made multiple trips to Uganda and supported Oyo and Kemigisa for years before Gadhafis death in October 2011Oyo was guided by regents appointed by the kingdom until he became an adult at 18This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever