By Diana N. Kintu
Fort Portal, Uganda: For weeks, the royal drums at Karuziika Palace had been silent. On Tuesday, they sounded again. The lion statues were unveiled, symbolising the restoration of the monarchy as the kingdom welcomed its new King.
Their return marked the closing of Tooro’s mourning period and the beginning of a new chapter as Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I was crowned the kingdom’s 15th Omukama, following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, 2026.
But beyond the ceremony, colour and celebration, the new reign comes with a promise from Nyabongo: an inclusive kingdom that preserves Tooro’s culture and traditions while working with the central government to advance development, peace and wealth creation.
Thousands of Batooro and guests from across Uganda and beyond gathered at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal to witness the historic coronation. The ceremony followed a thanksgiving service at St John’s Cathedral led by Bishop Reuben Kisembo before celebrations moved to the palace.
A new King, A new promise. In his maiden address as Omukama, Nyabongo paid tribute to his predecessor and thanked the people of Tooro for their support during the transition.
He also recognised Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, the Babiito clan, the Omujwera Musuuga, religious leaders, elders and others who helped guide the kingdom through the period following King Oyo’s death.
His Majesty Omukama Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I sits enthroned at the Karuziika Royal Palace following his official coronation. Seated alongside him are President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and cultural elders.
Nyabongo pledged to make his reign inclusive, saying the Tooro Kingdom would serve all people without discrimination while preserving the culture, traditions and way of life of the Batooro.
He also called for closer cooperation between the kingdom and the central government in advancing national development.
“We shall work together in unity, trusting that the Lord shall protect and bless the people of Tooro,” he pledged.
The new King said his reign would also promote peace and wealth creation in partnership with religious leaders and elders.
His remarks offered an early indication of how he intends to approach the responsibilities of the throne: combining the preservation of Tooro’s cultural identity with cooperation on wider national development.
By the same token Museveni Paid Tribute to King Oyo. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who presided over the coronation, began his address by paying tribute to the late King Oyo and commending his contribution to Tooro and Uganda.
Museveni recalled finding a letter written to him by King Oyo on June 15, 2026, shortly after the late monarch had been buried.
“I was very sad because the day after King Oyo was buried here, I was going through my documents and I found a letter which he had written to me on the 15th of June 2026,” Museveni said.
He said the letter had thanked him for several things, including the appointment of ministers from Tooro. Museveni then congratulated Nyabongo, recalling his previous career as a news anchor and editor.
“I was watching him on the news as a good news reader in English, so I am sure he will do a good job here,” he said.
Museveni used the occasion to explain his support for cultural institutions, saying they can help preserve aspects of society that may not be adequately addressed by the modern political system. He said Uganda’s history had included divisions between supporters of traditional kingdoms and nationalists and Pan-Africanists, with religion and ethnicity sometimes influencing the debate.
Museveni said his position is rooted in Pan-Africanism while recognising the importance of culture. He argued that political authority should remain with citizens while cultural institutions focus on areas such as indigenous languages, culture and indigenous knowledge and science. On indigenous languages, he warned that their use was declining as more children grew up speaking English.
“I could see danger. The indigenous languages are not being used; children speak English,” he said.
He said cultural institutions should work with the government to preserve indigenous languages and revealed that he had written a Runyankore dictionary because the area had been neglected. Museveni also pointed to traditional cultural practices and indigenous knowledge as areas that could complement modern systems.
He cited the preservation of Ankole long-horned cattle as an example, saying he had insisted on keeping the traditional breed and that South African President Cyril Ramaphosa later bought 43 cattle from him.
He also raised concerns about practices that could expose Ugandans to health risks, including the use of polythene materials in food preparation.
The President showcased wooden household products produced by Matongo Limited as an example of indigenous products, arguing that modern products had overshadowed some aspects of Uganda’s traditional culture.
The coronation also marked the formal transfer of authority to Nyabongo following the period of transition.
Speaking on behalf of Tooro leaders, Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Tom Butime described the coronation as a historic occasion for Tooro and Uganda. He commended the Batooro for maintaining unity during the transition and thanked President Museveni for his support. The Omujwera Musuuga, Charles Kamurasi, also welcomed the President and thanked him for the support extended to the late King Oyo during his life and illness.
Kamurasi said the kingdom would remember King Oyo for his advocacy against HIV and AIDS. He also commended the UPDF Engineering Brigade for rehabilitation works at Karuziika Palace and thanked the different leaders and teams that contributed to preparations for the coronation. He then formally handed over authority to the new King.
“I have given you all the power since I am the one who has been holding power during the time since Oyo’s death,” Kamurasi said.
Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Gen. Henry Tumukunde said Government recognised the contribution of the late King Oyo and welcomed the new royal couple. He said the central government had handled the transition with neutrality in order to protect the interests of the people of Tooro.
Tumukunde also cautioned against competing centres of political power within cultural institutions, saying such developments could create instability, and encouraged kingdoms to build credible institutional capacity.
At Karuziika Palace, the formalities of succession gave way to celebration. Batooro dressed in colourful mushana and busuuti filled the grounds as traditional dancers performed to the sounds of amakondere and ululations rang across the palace.
Elders, clergy, cultural leaders from across Uganda, diplomats, politicians and thousands of subjects gathered under the afternoon sun to witness the historic ceremony. President Museveni congratulated Omukama Nyabongo I, blessed his reign and gifted him 100 cows.
For Tooro, the coronation formally brought the mourning period for King Oyo to a close and opened a new chapter under a monarch who has pledged inclusion, cultural preservation, peace and cooperation for development.