New Era for Tooro as Nyabongo I Coronation Nears
By Kyeyune Ali
The people of Tooro and Uganda at large are set to witness the coronation of His Majesty Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, who is scheduled to be enthroned as the new Omukama of Tooro on September 29, 2026, at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City.
The development was confirmed during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala involving representatives of the Babiito Royal Clan and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development.
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was selected by the Babiito Royal Clan and subsequently endorsed by the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council as the successor to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died on August 27, 2026.
The coronation will formally mark the beginning of the reign of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I and is expected to feature traditional rituals that have historically accompanied the installation of a Tooro king. According to the Babiito Royal Clan, the ceremony will take place at Karuziika Palace, the traditional seat of the Tooro monarchy.
The Babiito Royal Clan, under the leadership of Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, selected Prince Edward on September 9, 2026, at Karuziika Palace. His selection was later endorsed by the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council, paving the way for preparations for the coronation.
The ceremony is expected to be an important cultural occasion for the people of Tooro, providing an opportunity to celebrate the kingdom’s heritage, traditions and identity.
The government has called for a peaceful and dignified transition that reflects Tooro’s cultural heritage and Uganda’s wider cultural diversity.
State Minister for Gender and Culture, Mary Kutesa Kamuli, said the government recognises the contribution of the Tooro Kingdom to the preservation and promotion of Uganda’s cultural heritage, identity, values, unity and social development.
The Attorney General has also cleared the Tooro Kingdom to proceed with preparations for the enthronement, noting that no formal court appeal had been registered to stop the process.
Speaking on behalf of the Babiito Royal Clan, Omusuuga Charles Kayondo Kamurasi extended his best wishes to the incoming king and called upon him and the institutions of the kingdom to continue promoting the cultural heritage, unity, dignity and social development of the people of Tooro in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Uganda.
Kamurasi also revealed that the kingdom requires more than Shs1.2 billion to facilitate preparations for the coronation, calling for collective fundraising efforts from the people of Tooro and well-wishers across Uganda.
Preparations for the historic ceremony are already underway at Karuziika Palace, with traditional and organisational activities being conducted ahead of the September 29 coronation.
The coronation comes less than a month after the death of King Oyo, whose reign lasted more than three decades. His successor, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, is now expected to formally assume the cultural leadership of the Tooro Kingdom at Karuziika Palace on September 29.