Do not Marry a Second Wife: Bishop Tells Omukama Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I

The newly installed Omukama of Tooro, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, has been handed a broad set of responsibilities as he begins his reign, with the Bishop of Ruwenzori Diocese, the Rt Rev Reuben Kisembo, urging him to make accountability, unity, education, youth empowerment and environmental conservation central to his leadership.

Bishop Kisembo delivered the message on Tuesday morning during a church service attended by the new King in Fort Portal City, shortly before Nyabongo I headed to Karuziika Palace for his formal coronation.

The service marked Nyabongo I’s first public church appearance since he was selected to succeed his cousin, the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died on August 27 after 31 years on the Tooro throne.

Oyo was buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12.

Nyabongo I attended the service with his wife, Queen Rebecca Amoding, and members of the Babiito royal family led by Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, the traditional head of the royal clan.

A reign built on public trust

Bishop Kisembo told the new King that his accession had already generated considerable goodwill among the people of Tooro and urged him to turn that support into a foundation for advancing the kingdom.

He encouraged Nyabongo I to use the affection shown to him by the population to promote unity and development rather than allowing divisions surrounding the succession to overshadow his reign.

The bishop also called for the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council to be strengthened and adequately facilitated, describing it as the institution at the centre of kingdom governance.

He said the council needed sufficient resources to effectively discharge its responsibilities as the kingdom’s highest decision-making body.

Bishop demands financial accountability

Financial transparency was another major theme in the bishop’s message.

Kisembo urged the new administration to establish proper financial systems, maintain books of accounts and ensure that the kingdom’s finances are audited every year.

He said such measures would help address accountability concerns associated with the institution in the past.

The bishop further advised Nyabongo I to maintain a clear distinction between property belonging to Tooro Kingdom and assets personally owned by the monarch.

He argued that separating kingdom property from the King’s personal assets would help prevent ownership disputes in the future.

Youth employment and education

Kisembo also placed the plight of young people among the immediate challenges facing the new reign.

He urged Nyabongo I to encourage young people to work, become productive and avoid idleness and behaviour that could jeopardise their future.

Education, he added, should remain another priority for the kingdom.

The bishop encouraged the King to promote school attendance and remind parents of their responsibility to educate their children, citing Article 31 of the Constitution in relation to parental responsibilities.

Protecting Tooro’s environment

The bishop also asked Nyabongo I to continue environmental programmes associated with the late King Oyo, particularly tree-planting campaigns.

He urged the new monarch to build on those initiatives as part of a broader effort to protect the environment for future generations.

Kisembo equally appealed to the people of Tooro to respect and support the new King, particularly when the kingdom requires their cooperation in development projects.

Queen Rebecca welcomed into Tooro

The bishop also addressed the position of Queen Rebecca, who comes from the Teso community.

He urged the Batooro to welcome her and give her an opportunity to learn and participate in Tooro’s cultural traditions.

Kisembo said the church would support the Queen in her public role and activities as she settles into the institution following Nyabongo I’s accession.

Succession controversy shadows new reign

Nyabongo I’s coronation comes after a contested succession process that followed Oyo’s death.

The new King was selected by the Babiito royal clan before receiving endorsement from the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council.

However, some members of Oyo’s immediate family have disputed the process and raised claims surrounding a direct heir.

Kingdom authorities have maintained that Nyabongo I’s selection followed established customary procedures.

The competing claims have made unity one of the significant challenges facing the new administration as it attempts to move beyond the succession dispute.

From church service to coronation

After the morning service, Nyabongo I returned to Karuziika Palace at about 11:50am, where traditional ritualists, known as Abanyamirwa, received him with trumpets, royal spears and drums.

The ceremony marked the beginning of activities involving the Amakondere royal trumpeters ahead of the coronation.

President Yoweri Museveni subsequently arrived at Karuziika Palace for the coronation ceremony.

The national anthem and Tooro Kingdom anthem were performed together, marking the first such ceremonial performance since the death of King Oyo.

But as the new King prepared to formally assume the throne, Bishop Kisembo had one final and distinctly personal message for him.

The bishop turned to Nyabongo I’s marriage to Queen Rebecca and reminded him that, as a Christian monarch, he had already made a commitment before God.

He specifically urged the King not to take a second wife, saying the church expected him to honour the vows he made when he married Queen Rebecca.

“Our King is a Christian King, and I am advising you that you already have a wife and you made vows in church. I want you to keep that vow. We pray that you maintain that monogamy. As a church, we discourage polygamy,” Bishop Kisembo said.

It should be remembered that Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I sons whose mother is Rebecca Amoding Rukidi cannot be allowed to succeed their father in future, because only his son from a Mutooro woman would be allowed to be come heir to the throne. (See Details Here and There).