President Yoweri Museveni has directed Gender, Labour and Social Development Minister Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Tumukunde to help resolve the disagreements surrounding the succession of the late Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV before his burial on September 12.
Tumukunde disclosed the directive on Monday after arriving at Karuziika Royal Palace in Fort Portal City to pay his last respects to King Oyo, as government, the Babiito royal clan and members of the royal family seek a common position on the future leadership of the kingdom.
Tumukunde said he had been tasked by President Museveni to ensure that the outstanding disputes are addressed before the burial, with meetings expected to bring together the different sides involved in the succession question.
“I was sent by the President to resolve the matters,” Tumukunde said.
He added that consultations will begin immediately to address the issues affecting the kingdom.
The minister said the government wants the disagreements settled in time for the kingdom to give King Oyo a dignified send-off without the succession dispute overshadowing the funeral ceremonies.
His intervention comes at a time when uncertainty over the next Omukama has created competing positions within the kingdom, particularly over claims that King Oyo left behind a biological son who could potentially succeed him.
When the death of King Oyo was announced, Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki said the late monarch had left behind a prince whose identity would be revealed in accordance with Tooro traditions.
President Museveni also said Queen Mother Best Kemigisa had informed him that King Oyo had left a son.
However, the claim has been challenged by the Babiito royal clan, which is responsible for the traditional process of identifying the next Omukama. The clan has demanded that the reported heir be presented and verified before any succession arrangements are finalised.
The dispute has added another layer to an already sensitive transition following the death of King Oyo, who died in the United States on August 27 at the age of 34.
The Babiito clan subsequently established a 21 member Royal Succession Committee to handle the process of identifying the next king.
On September 4, reports emerged that the committee had selected 36 year old George Desmond Kamurasi as its preferred successor to King Oyo. The reports, attributed to journalist Andrew Mwenda, said the committee reached the decision during a meeting in Fort Portal.
Kamurasi is a member of the Babiito royal family and is related to the late king. Reports indicate that his royal lineage runs through his father, Prince George Desmond “Jimmy” Mugenyi, who was a younger brother of King Oyo’s father, the late King Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III.
However, the reported selection has not ended the succession controversy, with questions remaining over the reported heir of King Oyo and the process through which the next Omukama should be formally recognised.
The Babiito leadership has maintained that the succession must follow Tooro customs and traditions rather than be determined through an ordinary political-style vote. The government has also cautioned the public against relying on unverified information circulating on social media while consultations continue.
Tumukunde’s deployment therefore places him at the centre of efforts to bridge the differences among the royal family, Babiito elders and other kingdom stakeholders before the burial.
Speaking after paying his respects to King Oyo, Tumukunde appealed for calm and unity among the people of Tooro and across Uganda.
“I have arrived at Karuziika Royal Palace in Fort Portal City to pay my respects to the late His Majesty Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV,” Tumukunde said.
He urged the public to maintain peace and dignity during the mourning period, saying the focus should remain on honouring the late monarch.
“As the country continues to mourn, we urge everyone to remain calm, united, and respectful as we honour the life and legacy of the departed monarch,” he said.
Tumukunde also commended the people of Tooro and Ugandans generally for the manner in which they have conducted themselves since the death of King Oyo.
“I commend the people of Obukama Bwa Tooro Kingdom and Ugandans for the dignity and unity they have demonstrated during this difficult time,” he said.
King Oyo’s body was returned to Uganda on September 4 and taken to Karuziika Royal Palace, where mourners and dignitaries have continued to pay their respects. He is due to be buried on September 12, a date that carries particular significance because it marks 31 years since he ascended the Tooro throne in 1995 at the age of three.
His death has brought to an end one of the most remarkable reigns in Uganda’s modern history. King Oyo became the world’s youngest reigning monarch when he ascended the Tooro throne following the death of his father, King Patrick Olimi III.
Although Uganda’s traditional kingdoms have no constitutional political power, the institutions retain important cultural and social roles, making the peaceful transition of leadership significant for the people of Tooro and the wider country.
With September 12 fast approaching, attention is now focused on whether Tumukunde’s consultations will succeed in bringing the competing sides together and clearing the way for a united and orderly transition after King Oyo’s burial.
