Photos: A journalist is crowned king in Uganda

A writer has been crowned king of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom, a accepted monarchy plunged into grief and a succession dispute pursuing the decease of its “boy king” past month.

Prince Edward Rukidi Nyabongo, agelong employed arsenic a broadcaster and exertion with the state-run Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, took his regnal sanction aft performing night-time rituals earlier being ushered into the palace.

He was formally unveiled to his subjects connected Tuesday successful Fort Portal, a municipality successful occidental Uganda adjacent the borderline with the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Uganda’s accepted kingdoms were abolished successful the 1960s by a enactment president seeking to unify the recently autarkic country, but were restored successful 1993.

While taste monarchs clasp nary law powers and are barred from partisan politics, they clasp important power arsenic custodians of contented and identity.

Speaking astatine the ceremony, President Yoweri Museveni urged accepted leaders to beforehand section languages.

Nyabongo, successful a abbreviated address, promised to beryllium a unifying fig and told the New Vision paper that “heritage indispensable beryllium matched by subject and hard work”, describing royal descent arsenic a work alternatively than an entitlement.

Nyabongo was not precocious successful the enactment of succession. Elders of the ruling Babiito clan selected him from a excavation of eligible princes aft King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV died of crab successful August astatine the property of 34, reportedly without a publically acknowledged heir.

The queen mother, Best Kemigisa, has challenged the decision, claiming Oyo near a young lad whose individuality volition beryllium revealed “at the close time”. The imaginable of a “Baby Oyo” has stirred supporters connected societal media and raised questions implicit the legitimacy of Nyabongo’s coronation.