A traditional Ugandan kingdom selected a television news anchor on Wednesday to succeed King Oyo Nyimba, who died last month aged 34 after becoming the world’s youngest reigning monarch when he took the throne at age 3.
Oyo Nyimba died on August 27, in the United States, where he was receiving treatment for cancer. While Uganda is a constitutional republic, Oyo Nyimba ruled Tooro in western Uganda, one of the former British colony’s ancient kingdoms, which wields enormous cultural and social influence.
At a press conference in the kingdom’s capital of Fort Portal, the royal clan’s succession committee announced it chose Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a news anchor and editor at the state-run broadcaster UBC, as monarch.
Oyo Nyimba, a U.N. goodwill ambassador who championed the fight against HIV and AIDS, became the youngest reigning monarch in 1995, according to Guinness World Records.
A video of his coronation shows a little boy sitting in his chair playing with a toy, his small body almost disappearing underneath the royal crown and robes.
Kijanangoma’s selection contradicted an earlier announcement by the kingdom’s Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire, who said the unmarried Oyo Nyimba had left behind a child who was his heir.
Hours after the succession committee announced its selection, Princess Ruth Komuntale, Oyo Nyimba’s only sister told a press conference that she and their mother, Best Kemigisa, rejected the choice of Kijanangoma as the new king.
“My brother, he left behind a will which stated very very clearly that the next person in line is his son, that’s the heir to the throne,” she said, adding that the will also state Oyo’s preferred successor should his own son be unable to assume the crown.
Oyo’s body was returned to Uganda from the U.S. on Friday and preparations are under way for his burial on Saturday at the royal tombs near his palace in Fort Portal. – Reuters
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