The death of Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has left a major question of succession in Tooro, a Bantu kingdom in western Uganda

NEED TO KNOW

• King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the world’s youngest reigning monarch, died last week at age 34
• Oyo became King of Tooro, a Bantu kingdom in western Uganda, at just 3 years old, when his father died
• A question of succession reportedly looms as government officials claim King Oyo left behind an heir, while royal clan elders claim he died without leaving a known biological child

The death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has left behind a major question about succession.

King Oyo, who was named the world’s youngest reigning monarch, died last week at age 34. He became King of Tooro, a Bantu kingdom in western Uganda, at just 3 years old, when his father died. Now, his own death has reportedly sparked a rift between Tooro leaders over whether he had a known heir.

Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced King Oyo’s death with “profound sadness and a heavy heart,” he said in a statement, sharing that he died at about 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, Aug. 27.

“This is an immeasurable loss to the Royal Family, the people of Tooro and the nation of Uganda,” he said. “I call upon all the people of Tooro to remain united, calm and prayerful during this profoundly difficult time.”

At the time, Akiiki also revealed the surprising claim that King Oyo had an heir, saying, “His Majesty leaves behind a Prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of Tooro Kingdom.”

Yoweri Museveni, the president of Uganda, also said he had received news of an heir from the Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa.

“Fortunately, in a telephone call, Her Royal Highness Kemigisa told me that H.H. Oyo left a young boy heir that will be introduced to the public at the right time,” he shared on X on Saturday, Aug. 29.

However, The Daily Monitor reports that clan elders of the Tooro Kingdom said King Oyo died without leaving a known biological child.

Charles Kayondo Kamurasi — the Omusuuga, or head of the Babiito royal clan, commonly known as the Abasuga — told the publication that the clan had no knowledge of a biological heir.

“The King had no child. I don’t know about it because we have never been told that. I heard the prime minister, while announcing Oyo’s death, saying he had left an heir,” said Kamurasi.

“Moreover, he has no right or power to make such an announcement because he is not a member of the royal family. I don’t know where he got that information from,” he continued. “He must have a source somewhere. But which source? Some of us don’t know.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the Tooro Kingdom for comment.

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The Babito royal clan has significant ties to the Tooro throne, and Kamurasi’s office said a 21-member committee of clan elders has been assembled to assess the credibility of the successor claims and oversee the traditional process of naming the next monarch.

“What comes next is this: we shall have a meeting, but I cannot disclose all the information at this stage to the press. For those of us who are within the inner circles, we know what is going on,” Kamurasi said, per The Daily Monitor.

“The new king will be identified from the existing princes,” he added. “As members of the royal clan, we shall have to sit and sort out that issue, because he did not leave a child. Whatever the prime minister is talking about, we as the clan [Babiito] do not know him.”

King Oyo succeeded his father, Olimi Tooro, who died on Aug. 26, 1995, at age 49. Throughout his childhood, a regency of family members and President Museveni oversaw his reign, The Daily Monitor reported.

His crowning ceremony took place on April 17, 2010, the day after his 18th birthday.

The announcement of King Oyo’s death did not include a cause of death, but a Ugandan government minister previously claimed the King had been critically ill and seeking treatment in the U.S., according to The Daily Monitor.

The publication also noted that over the course of his reign, the late King promoted causes including youth empowerment, education, climate conservation, health advocacy and HIV/AIDS awareness. He also launched the Tooro Kingdom Vision 2045 development framework to secure better living standards and long-term prosperity.

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