How Edward Rukiidi was picked King
By Andrew Mwenda
FORT PORTAL – I have been compelled by the statement of the Queen Mother (QM), Best Kemigisa, to clarify succession in Toro. The QM says that I announced a decision of a “self-appointed group of clan members”. This is a gross insult to our kingdom and its cultural institutions. King Oyo died on August 26th, 2026.
As per our customs, a general meeting of the babiito clan (the royal clan of Toro Kingdom) was held at the palace (Karuziika) in Fort Portal City on August 28, 2026 to decide the future of the kingdom. More than 100 babiito (princes and princesses) attended. These selected a team of 21 members to form the Royal Succession Committee headed by musuuga (Prince Regent or caretaker). The committee began its work on August 31st, 2026.
Its aim was to find a new king. Please note, that up to the time of Oyo’s death, there had never been any official or even informal communication to the babiito that King Oyo had sired a child, leave alone a son.
In the meeting, four candidates were presented:
1- George Desmond Kamurasi, son of Prince Jimmy Mugenyi
2- A purported son Oyo, initially called Jacob Oyo and later changed to Jackson Oyo
3- George David Kamurasi, son of Prince Kato Rukidi
4- Edward Rukiidi Kijanangoma, son of Prince Kijanangoma Oyo’s purported son was presented to the committee by Patrick Kawamara, brother of the QM. Kawamara had been put on the committee to represent the interests of the QM (otherwise called Nyina omukama owempeeka). Kawamara was asked to produce a photo of the purported son of Oyo and he could not.
The committee asked for the clan of the mother and Kawamara said she is a muhinda. The committee asked for her family in Toro and he declined to disclose it. Non of the relatives on Oyo’s paternal side (ababiito) had ever heard of the existence of this purported son.
Now the committee had gotten two different names for the purported son, there was no photo of him yet all other candidates had to be represented with photos of them. The committee found this dubious and decided to remove Oyo’s purported son from the list of considerations.
After four days of deliberations, a vote was taken by secret ballot. George Kamurasi got 15 votes. The other candidates got one vote each. I personally informed Kamurasi of this selection.
He did not decline the throne as alleged on social media. He asked for time to consult his wife and business partners in London. But the kingdom was time barred and decided on the next suitable candidate who was announced last evening. On Tuesday September 8th, 2026, a meeting was held at the palace that brought together the QM and the Babiito.
In attendance were Msgr Mayombo, Fr Oyo, Charles Kamurasi (musuuga), her brothers, Patrick Kawamara, Misaki Kawamara, Mujaguzi, then another brother, plus her young sister.
In that meeting, the QM said she was not going to disclose anything about Oyo’s purported son until the reading of his will. Yesterday the lawyer read the will to the same group. This time Ruth Komuntale, Oyo’s sister and Batebe to the kingdom, and princess Margaret Komubaizi (mukajoyi) attended.
In the will, written on September 14, 2022, there is only a hypothetical heir. But most importantly, in Tooro, it is not automatic that a king’s son becomes heir to the throne. He would have to have been born to a Mutoro queen officially married to the king (omugowekitebe). A king cannot sleep with a prostitute on the street or a housemaid, produce a son and it is hoisted onto the throne. This is not to suggest that Oyo did any of this.
It is simply to say that he was not officially married, and if he left a son, Toro needs to know the mother and her background.
