NEW OMUKAMA ON THE THRONE! Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I Enthroned as Tooro King after Night of Rituals

Tooro Kingdom has entered a new reign after Prince Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I was enthroned as Omukama following a dramatic night of traditional rituals that took him from Rwengoma Palace to the royal seat at Karuziika.

The historic transition unfolded in the early hours of Tuesday, September 29, after the Omukama-designate led a men-only midnight procession through Fort Portal City on the eve of his formal coronation.

Beginning at Rwengoma Palace along Bwamba Road, the approximately four-kilometre procession retraced ancestral paths towards Karuziika Palace, drawing jubilant crowds who gathered along the route to witness the traditional journey.

Men carrying bundles of water reeds and flaming reed torches joined the procession, while others carried candles as the route through the city came alive with chanting, dancing and cheers.

The procession made nine stopovers along the way as the Omukama-designate continued towards Karuziika, accompanied by subjects celebrating Tooro’s cultural heritage.

The night-time journey was not merely a public spectacle. It formed part of the traditional rites through which a new Omukama passes from designation to the assumption of royal authority.

As the procession approached Karuziika, the atmosphere intensified.

Upon reaching the palace grounds, Nyabongo I entered through the Mugabante Gate, marking the beginning of another crucial stage of the traditional installation.

He then took part in a mock battle before performing the ritual of spearing a bull, a powerful traditional gesture associated with cultural pride and the monarch’s pledge to defend his people.

The defining moment came with the Okujumure Engoma ritual.

Standing before the royal drum, Nyabongo I struck it nine times.

The nine strikes formally marked his assumption of the spiritual and administrative leadership of the Tooro Kingdom, transforming the designated successor into the reigning Omukama.

Journalists pressed forward to document the historic moment as the new monarch made his way through the palace grounds and completed the traditional rites.

The royal drums were subsequently turned upright, while the lion symbols at the roundabout and palace entrance were unveiled.

The symbolism was unmistakable: the mourning period following the death of the previous Omukama had come to an end, and Tooro now had a new king.

Nyabongo I was welcomed at the palace by the head of the Babiito Royal Clan before completing the remaining traditional induction rites.

By the end of the overnight ceremonies, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I had been enthroned as Omukama of Tooro.

His enthronement came barely a month after the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died in late August at the age of 34.

Oyo’s death plunged the kingdom into a closely watched succession process, with competing claims and disagreements emerging over who should inherit the throne.

The Babiito Royal Clan eventually selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as successor. His selection was endorsed by the Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council and subsequently recognised by the government.

He assumed the royal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, with September 29 set as the date for his public coronation at Karuziika Palace.

The overnight rituals therefore represented the traditional bridge between the death of Oyo’s reign and the beginning of Nyabongo I’s.

The new Omukama leading the four-kilometre journey from Rwengoma to Karuziika, with cheering crowds following and lining the route.

The city appeared transformed by the royal occasion as flaming reeds, candles, chanting and dancing accompanied the new monarch on his ancestral journey.

For many Tooro subjects, the procession provided an opportunity not only to witness the installation of a new king but also to participate in the public expression of their cultural heritage.

In the hours after the rituals, subjects shared their reactions to the ceremonies and the arrival of Nyabongo I as the kingdom’s new monarch.

The traditional ceremonies also provided some of the most striking images of the royal transition: the midnight procession through Fort Portal, the entry through Mugabante Gate, the bull-spearing ritual and the nine strikes of the royal drum.

By dawn, the rituals had been completed and the new Omukama was firmly established on the throne.

The public coronation programme now continues at Karuziika Palace, following a church service at St John’s Cathedral of Ruwenzori Diocese where the new king is expected to receive a blessing.

The main coronation ceremony is expected to bring together thousands of Tooro subjects, cultural leaders, government officials and other dignitaries, with President Yoweri Museveni expected to attend as chief guest.

After the death and succession struggles that followed Oyo’s reign, the events of September 28–29 mark a decisive transition for Tooro.

The kingdom has closed one royal chapter and opened another—with Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I now sitting on the throne.

You can read more on the rituals for the new Omukama, including for today’s coronation Here.

Meanwhile, in a new twist, petitioners have asked the High Court to stop today’s coronation of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, as reported Here.