A journalist is named king of a Ugandan monarchy that just lost its onetime ‘boy king’

A news anchor was unexpectedly named the next monarch of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom on Wednesday following last month’s death at age 34 of a monarch once known as the “boy king” because of his ascension to the throne as an infant.

A selection committee for Tooro announced the choice of Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as crown prince following a search. A cousin of the late king, Kijanangoma is a news anchor and editor with state broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation.

He is likely to be crowned this week to succeed Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who will be buried on Saturday in a funeral expected to be attended by tens of thousands of mourners in a remote city near the Congo border. King Oyo was unmarried at the time of his death from cancer. The event saddened many who had watched him grow from infancy and become a beloved leader for his ancient kingdom.

Tooro is one of five traditional kingdoms recognized by Uganda’s government, though they don’t have any formal sovereignty.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had asserted that Oyo left a young heir born out of wedlock, but Tooro’s committee looked beyond that in picking Kijanangoma.

The choice of Kijanangoma, who is known as a down-to-earth broadcaster, was likely aimed at appealing to traditionalists seeking continuity and those against having another child on the throne.

But it could also prove controversial and provoke a legal challenge if Oyo’s devotees feel alienated by the decision.

The choice was immediately rejected by his closest relative. “We are just very disappointed,” said Ruth Komuntale, Oyo’s sister, speaking to local broadcaster NBS. “Honestly, to me it’s very dramatic, trying to bring division and turmoil.” She said Oyo’s written will “clearly stated” that he left behind an heir to his throne.

Oyo was coronated in 1995 at the age of 3 after his father’s death. He was a curious child in colorful robes and an object of adoration for his hundreds of thousands of subjects.

At his coronation, he went through a series of tribal rituals and was led into the royal cemetery to perform the coming-of-age ritual: successfully tossing nine coffee beans into his father’s tomb.

Oyo immediately held the unofficial title of the world’s youngest king, a mesmerizing figure even for world leaders introduced to him at national events, including South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. The kid was guided by regents appointed by the kingdom until he became an adult at 18.

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi befriended the Tooro royal family as if they were part of his extended family. Gadhafi made multiple trips to Uganda and supported Oyo and the queen mother for years before his death in October 2011.

Uganda’s traditional kingdoms were banned after independence from British colonial rule by a republican president who said he wanted to unify the country, but they were restored in 1993. Although they have no political authority and are legally not allowed to engage in partisan politics, monarchs wield authority as guardians of tribal culture.

上个月，乌干达托罗王国一位年仅 34 岁的国王去世，他曾因幼年登基而被誉为“少年国王”。周三，一位新闻主播出人意料地被任命为该王国的下一任君主。

托罗王室遴选委员会宣布，经过遴选，爱德华·鲁基迪·基贾南戈马被选为王储。基贾南戈马是已故国王的堂兄，目前是乌干达国家广播公司（Uganda Broadcasting Corporation）的新闻主播兼编辑。

他很可能在本周加冕，继承奥约·尼姆巴·卡班巴·伊古鲁·鲁基迪四世的王位。奥约国王将于周六下葬，葬礼预计将在靠近刚果边境的一座偏远城市举行，届时将有数万名哀悼者参加。奥约国王因癌症去世时终身未婚。他的离世令许多人悲痛不已，他们见证了他从幼年成长为深受爱戴的古老王国君主的历程。

托罗王国是乌干达政府承认的五个传统王国之一，尽管它们没有任何正式的主权。

乌干达总统约韦里·穆塞韦尼曾断言奥约留下了一个未婚生子的年轻继承人，但托罗的委员会在选择基贾南戈马时并没有考虑这一点。

选择以务实著称的基贾南戈马担任播音员，很可能是为了迎合那些寻求政权延续的传统主义者和那些反对王位上再添一个孩子的人。

但如果奥约的信徒们对这一决定感到疏远，那么这一决定也可能引发争议，并招致法律挑战。

这一选择立即遭到他最亲近的亲属的反对。“我们非常失望，”奥约的妹妹露丝·科蒙塔莱在接受当地电视台NBS采访时表示，“说实话，我觉得这很戏剧化，这是在试图制造分裂和动乱。”她表示，奥约的遗嘱“明确规定”他已为王位指定了继承人。

奥约在父亲去世后于1995年加冕，当时他年仅3岁。他是一个好奇心强的孩子，身穿色彩鲜艳的长袍，深受数十万臣民的爱戴。

在他的加冕典礼上，他经历了一系列部落仪式，并被带到皇家墓地进行成年礼：成功地将九颗咖啡豆扔进他父亲的墓穴。

奥约立刻拥有了“世界上最年轻国王”的非官方称号，即使是出席国家级活动并被他引荐的世界各国领导人，包括南非的纳尔逊·曼德拉，也对他着迷不已。这位少年在王国任命的摄政王的指导下，直到18岁成年。

利比亚领导人穆阿迈尔·卡扎菲与托罗王室成员交好，如同对待自己的家人一般。卡扎菲曾多次访问乌干达，并在2011年10月去世前的几年里一直支持奥约和王太后。

乌干达摆脱英国殖民统治后，一位声称要统一国家的共和总统取缔了该国的传统王国，但这些王国在1993年得以恢复。尽管他们没有政治权力，法律上也不允许他们参与党派政治，但君主作为部落文化的守护者，仍然拥有一定的权威。