Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has thrown his weight behind Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I as the new King of Tooro, publicly endorsing him in a message on X amid a succession process that has been anything but smooth.
“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,” the general wrote.
The endorsement lands at a delicate moment for the kingdom, where the process of finding a successor to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has been dogged by rejected candidates, family infighting and rival claims to the throne.
A Bumpy Road to the Throne
Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma — who has now adopted the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I — was put forward by the Babiito Royal Clan only after the clan’s first choice, George Desmond Kamurasi, reportedly turned down the crown.
Even then, the choice didn’t sit well with everyone. Two princes, Patrick Mpuuga and Solomon Nyaika — sons of clan head Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi — reportedly rejected their father’s decision to back Kijanangoma, accusing unnamed elders of misleading their father in what they called a self-serving move.
Adding another layer to the dispute is the reported emergence of King Oyo’s 2022 will, which lays out a different succession order altogether — reportedly naming the late king’s own son first, followed by Prince Yoweri Komwiswa and Prince Solomon Nyaika, with Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi coming last.
Clan Head Presses Ahead Regardless
Despite the competing claims swirling around the succession, Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi — in his capacity as head of the Babiito Royal Clan — has gone ahead and formally declared Edward Kijanangoma the new Omukama.
Gen. Muhoozi’s intervention now adds serious political muscle to that declaration. As one of the most influential figures in the country, his public backing could help cement Edward’s position as the kingdom moves to formalise the new reign — even as questions over the legitimacy of the process linger in the background.
For now, the general has left no room for ambiguity about where he stands: Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, he says, is Tooro’s king — and he’s wished him a long one.
