By The European Times | Created at 2026-09-01 07:46:34 | Updated at 2026-09-05 06:41:07
3 days ago
The death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Igura Rukidi IV has left not only mourning but also a great mystery surrounding the future of the throne of the Toro Kingdom in western Uganda, according to The Daily Monitor.
The monarch, who as a child was declared the youngest reigning king in the world, died last week at the age of 34. He ascended to the throne at just 3 years old, after his father died.
But now, a dispute has erupted among the kingdom’s leadership over a particularly sensitive issue – whether the king has a biological heir.
The Prime Minister of the Toro Kingdom, Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki, announced Oyo’s death with “deep sadness and a heavy heart.” He said the king died at around 10pm local time on August 27.
In his statement, the prime minister also made a surprising announcement: King Oyo leaves behind a son who is his heir.
“His Majesty leaves behind a prince who will be officially revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of the Toro Kingdom,” Akiiki said.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni also confirmed that he had received information about an heir from Queen Mother Best Kemigisa.
In a post on social media, he said that Kemigisa told him over the phone that Oyo had left behind a baby boy who would be unveiled publicly at the appropriate time.
The royal clan, however, claims: “The king had no child.”
This is where the mystery begins.
According to the Daily Monitor, elders of the Babito royal clan said they were not aware that King Oyo had a biological child.
Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, the Omusuga, the head of the Babito royal clan, said he was never informed of such an heir.
“The king had no child. I don’t know about it because we were never told,” he said.
Kamurasi also questioned the prime minister’s authority to announce such information, saying he was not a member of the royal family.
“I don’t know where he got this information. There must be a source. But who is that source? Some of us don’t know,” the clan leader said.
The Toro Kingdom has yet to respond to inquiries about the case.
Who will sit on the throne?
PEOPLE has reached out to the Tooro Kingdom for comment: The Babito clan has a key role in the succession to the Toro throne. A committee of 21 elders has already been formed to assess the credibility of the claims of an heir and to lead the traditional procedure for determining the next monarch.
Kamurasi said a meeting of the elders was imminent, but declined to give details.
“For those of us in the inner circle, it is clear what is happening,” he said.
He said the new king would be chosen from among the existing princes.
“As members of the royal family, we need to sit down and resolve this issue because he left no child. Whatever the prime minister says, we in the Babito clan do not know him,” said Kamurasi.
The king who ascended the throne at the age of 3
Oyo succeeded his father Olimi Toro, who died at the age of 49 on August 26, 1995.
Since Oyo was only 3 years old, the reign was supervised by family members and President Museveni during his childhood.
His official coronation took place on April 17, 2010, the day after he turned 18.
The cause of his death was not announced. A Ugandan government official previously said that the king had been seriously ill and had sought treatment in the United States.
During his reign, Oyo supported initiatives related to youth, education, climate protection, health and the fight against HIV/AIDS.
It also marks the beginning of the long-term program Tooro Kingdom Vision 2045, aimed at improving the standard of living and sustainable development of the kingdom.
Illustrative photo: pexels-illustrate-digital-ug-924569584-28100865
