Uganda’s former child king, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, was buried on Saturday 12, september 2026 at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal, as the Tooro Kingdom sought to move beyond a recent succession dispute.
Oyo became king in 1995 at the age of three, gaining international attention as the world’s youngest monarch. He died last month at 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
During the burial ceremony, his appointed successor, Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, formally took part in a traditional succession ritual by casting nine coffee berries into the king’s grave.
Kijanangoma, a journalist and former news anchor at Rwanda Broadcasting Agency and Uganda’s state broadcaster UBC, was selected by members of the royal clan to succeed Oyo.
The succession has faced opposition from Oyo’s immediate family, who say his alleged son should inherit the throne in accordance with the late king’s will.
Church of Uganda Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu called for unity, warning that disagreements over the succession could damage Oyo’s legacy.
The burial brought thousands of mourners to Fort Portal, with royal guards accompanying the king’s casket to the royal tombs.
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