Prince Patrick Mpuuga Rejects New Tooro King Announcement, Claims Prince Regent Role

Prince Patrick Mpuuga has rejected the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new King of Tooro, insisting that the succession process must follow the will allegedly left behind by the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

Mpuuga, the son of Prince Charles Kayondo Kamurasi, popularly known as the Omusuuga and head of the Babiito royal clan, also claimed that the late King Oyo had wanted him to take over his father’s mantle as the Prince Regent of Tooro.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Prince Patrick Mpuuga sided with Princess Ruth Komuntale and Princess Elizabeth Bagaya in challenging the process that led to the announcement of a new Tooro King.

Mpuuga Rejects Prince Edward Rukidi’s Announcement as Tooro King

The Babiito royal clan recently announced Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new King of Tooro.

The decision reportedly came after Prince George Desmond Kamurasi, who had initially emerged as the preferred candidate, declined to take up the throne.

According to the clan, the succession process was based on traditional royal arrangements and provisions contained in the will of former Tooro monarch King George David Rukidi Kamurasi III.

However, members of the late King Oyo’s immediate family have challenged that position.

They argue that King Oyo allegedly signed his own will in 2022 and that the document clearly outlines how succession to the Tooro throne should be handled.

According to the family, the late monarch’s son was named as the first heir to the throne, with alternative successors provided for in the event that the son could not immediately assume the crown.

‘King Oyo’s Will Must Prevail’ – Prince Patrick Mpuuga

Prince Patrick Mpuuga argued that the wishes contained in King Oyo’s will should take priority over older succession arrangements and previous royal documents.

He said relying on the will of the late King George David Rukidi Kamurasi III while ignoring King Oyo’s own alleged will was unacceptable.

Mpuuga maintained that the most recent wishes of the late monarch should guide the future leadership and succession process in the Tooro Kingdom.

According to him, the royal family must respect what King Oyo personally decided before his death.

The disagreement has now created fresh tension within the Tooro royal family as different groups advance competing interpretations of the kingdom’s succession traditions and royal documents.

Prince Patrick Mpuuga Claims Prince Regent Position

In another major development, Prince Patrick Mpuuga appeared to lay claim to the position of Prince Regent of Tooro, saying the late King Oyo had previously discussed with him the possibility of taking over the mantle of Omusuuga.

Mpuuga said King Oyo wanted younger members of the royal family to become more actively involved in protecting and preserving Tooro’s cultural heritage.

He said the late monarch believed that knowledge and cultural traditions should not remain only with the older generation but should be passed down to younger members of the Babiito royal family.

According to Mpuuga, although the arrangement allegedly discussed with King Oyo was never formally implemented, the conversation demonstrated the late monarch’s desire to see younger royals take on greater responsibilities.

He said he was therefore standing as a member of the royal family to insist that King Oyo’s alleged will must be respected.

Tooro Royal Family Seeks Peaceful Resolution

Prince Patrick Mpuuga also called on security agencies to intervene in the growing dispute surrounding the Tooro Kingdom succession.

He stressed that the royal family was seeking a peaceful resolution and did not want the disagreement over the throne to escalate into conflict.

The succession dispute comes at a sensitive time for the Tooro Kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

With different members of the royal family and the Babiito clan advancing different positions regarding the succession process, attention is now focused on whether King Oyo’s alleged will and traditional clan arrangements can be reconciled.

The controversy surrounding the announcement of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new King of Tooro is expected to remain a major issue as the royal family, clan leaders and other stakeholders seek a final resolution.