FORT PORTAL – King designate Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has unveiled a vision centred on unity, education, scholarships and development, while pledging to continue the legacy of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. In his first major address after being selected by Babiito royal elders, Kijanangoma said he was ready to bring together the kingdom’s different factions and lead Tooro into a new chapter. Reflecting on his unexpected emergence, he said, “There was some pushing and shoving, and the baton came to me. I think this was God’s doing, not me.”
Kijanangoma said his immediate priority would be reconciliation, promising to reach out to the Babiito royal clan and other clans across Tooro to restore unity. He also pledged to preserve and expand programmes started by the late King Oyo. “All his great projects will not stop because he is not here. We shall take them on and develop them,” he said.
Education and youth empowerment will also feature prominently in his proposed administration. Kijanangoma promised to expand scholarship opportunities for talented Batooro students who struggle to continue with higher education because of financial challenges. He said the kingdom would seek partnerships locally and internationally, drawing on his 21 years of experience in the media industry and the networks he has built over the years.
However, his proposed agenda comes amid an ongoing dispute over the succession. While Babiito elders selected Kijanangoma as king-designate, members of the late King Oyo’s family have contested the decision, citing a 2022 will that they say outlines a succession arrangement. Attorney General Sam Mayanja has advised that the will should guide the process unless successfully challenged in court. Kijanangoma now faces the major task of turning his message of unity and continuity into a reality for a kingdom emerging from a deeply contested succession.
