Prince Edward Kijanangoma accepted the responsibility to lead the Tooro Kingdom after being selected by the Babiito clan to succeed the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the clan has said.
Kijanangoma was named the next King of Tooro on Wednesday following the death of King Oyo, who died on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
Kijanangoma is the son of the late Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma and a grandson of former Omukama Sir George David Rukidi Kamurasi III.
Father Oyo, a member of the Babiito succession team, said Kijanangoma was approached after the vetting process and accepted the responsibility to take over the throne.
He said the succession team had ranked candidates according to priority before engaging them individually.
“The first one said, no, I have responsibilities and I am not able to be the king. The next one, good enough, accepted the responsibility and we gave him the opportunity to be our next king,” Father Oyo said.
He confirmed that Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, whose name had earlier featured in discussions over the succession, was among those who declined to take up the responsibility.
“He declined because he has other responsibilities that he has to undertake. So that is his right,” Father Oyo said.
The decision eventually paved the way for Kijanangoma to be selected after the succession team completed its nomination, selection and vetting process.
Kijanangoma, who worked for Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) for about 10 years after previously working in Rwanda in the media sector, reportedly expressed surprise when he learnt of his selection.
His selection followed a week-long process by a 21-member succession team appointed by the Babiito clan to identify a suitable successor to King Oyo.
The team said it considered candidates from different generations of the royal family and assessed their leadership competence, experience, knowledge of Tooro culture, customs and traditions, as well as their ability to engage government and other stakeholders.
