The Babiito royal clan has selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new Omukama of Tooro, succeeding the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

The announcement was made on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal by the 21-member Royal Succession Committee. Monsignor Isaiah Mayombo, Vicar General of Fort Portal Diocese, read the resolution on behalf of the Babiito clan in the presence of committee members and clan leaders.

According to the resolution, 19 of the 21 committee members endorsed Kijanangoma after consultations and due diligence. The committee resolved that he be enthroned as the new Omukama in accordance with the traditions and customs of the Tooro Kingdom.

Kijanangoma is the son of the late Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma and a grandson of former Omukama Sir George David Rukidi III. He belongs to the Kijanangoma branch of the Babiito dynasty and is a cousin of the late King Oyo.

Before his selection, Kijanangoma worked as a senior news anchor and editor at the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). He had earlier worked with a television station in Rwanda before returning to Uganda, where he spent nearly a decade in broadcasting.

The committee, chaired by Omusuuga Charles Akiiki Kamurasi, the head of the Babiito royal clan, was instituted after the death of King Oyo on 27 August 2026. King Oyo had reigned since September 1995, when he ascended the throne at the age of three.

The selection of Kijanangoma comes amid ongoing discussions within the royal family over succession. The late King’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, and Queen Mother Best Kemigisa have publicly questioned the process, citing a will left by King Oyo. The kingdom is expected to proceed with traditional enthronement rites after the burial of the late monarch, scheduled for 12 September at Karambi Royal Tombs.

Kijanangoma now stands as the candidate endorsed by the Babiito succession committee to take over cultural leadership of the Tooro Kingdom. The formal installation will be conducted according to established royal customs once the mourning and burial period is completed.