“That Letter Was for President Museveni, Not Us”-Babiito Reject Attorney General’s Advice on Tooro Succession

Fr. Charles Oyo, the spokesperson for the Babiito royal clan

The Babiito royal clan of Tooro Kingdom has rejected the Attorney General’s advice that the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV’s purported will should guide the succession process, saying the legal opinion was addressed to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and does not direct the clan to take any action.

Attorney General Dr Sam Mayanja, in a three-page legal opinion dated September 12 and addressed to President Museveni, advised that King Oyo’s will should be followed, arguing that its validity can only be challenged in a court of law. The opinion was issued amid a dispute over the succession to King Oyo, who died on August 27 at the age of 34 while receiving treatment in the United States.

He was buried on September 12 at the Karambi Royal Burial Grounds in Fort Portal. Speaking to Uganda Radio Network on Monday, Fr Charles Oyo, spokesperson for the Babiito royal clan, said the Attorney General’s opinion was not addressed to the clan and therefore does not require the Babiito to act on it.

“Since it was written to the President and he is the one who sought that opinion, it’s incumbent upon him to administer that legal opinion,” Fr Oyo said. He said President Museveni could choose to implement some of the recommendations or use the opinion as guidance in handling the succession question. The Attorney General’s opinion also questioned the legal mandate of the 21-member committee constituted by the Babiito to select Oyo’s successor, arguing that the committee did not have a legal mandate to appoint a traditional or cultural leader.

The opinion cited Article 246 of the Constitution, which recognises traditional or cultural leaders established in accordance with the culture, customs and traditions or wishes and aspirations of the people to whom they apply. Fr Oyo, however, said the Babiito do not consider themselves to be in a dispute over the succession. “As the Babiito clan, we have no dispute. We are not disputing anything. So, whoever is disputing us and the committee’s decision is the one who should be addressed by that guidance,” he said.

He maintained that the 21-member committee was established in accordance with Tooro customs and traditions to handle the succession following King Oyo’s death.

The committee later selected and announced Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as Oyo’s successor. The decision was rejected by members of the royal family, including Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, Princess Ruth Komuntale Nsemere and Princess Elizabeth Bagaya.

The royal family has argued that King Oyo left a will providing for his son to succeed him if he had a legally recognised son. The purported will also identifies Yoweri Komwiswa and Solomon Nyaika, both sons of Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, as alternative heirs if Oyo’s son is incapacitated or unable to assume the throne.

Fr Oyo said the Babiito were informed at the beginning of the succession discussions that King Oyo had left a will. However, he said the clan was not shown the child referred to in the document and was not given information about his whereabouts, creating uncertainty over whether the child existed and was available to assume the throne.

He said the Babiito therefore considered the two other individuals named in the purported will but ruled them out on cultural grounds because their father, Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, is still alive.

“In the Tooro culture, a king can’t have a living father. These are sons of Musuuga, and he is still alive. So, they can’t be kings,” Fr Oyo said. He said the Babiito expected the alleged son of King Oyo to be presented during the late king’s burial on Saturday, but this did not happen.

Fr Oyo also confirmed that traditional rituals associated with the burial of a Tooro king were performed at the Karambi Royal Burial Grounds on Saturday. He said nine coffee beans were thrown into King Oyo’s grave, a ritual traditionally performed by the successor to affirm his succession to the throne.

The dispute over the succession therefore remains unresolved, with the Babiito standing by the selection of Prince Edward Kijanangoma, while members of the late king’s royal family continue to insist that his purported will should guide the process.

-URN