Rebecca Amoding, the wife of Tooro’s king-elect Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, will retain her official status as queen despite being from outside the kingdom, but questions remain over the cultural status of any children born to the couple.
The clarification was made by Fr Oyo during a press conference in Kampala on Thursday as Tooro prepares for the September 29 coronation of Nyabongo I at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City.
“She will be like any other wife of the king,” Fr Oyo said, according to reports by Uganda Radio Network and The Observer.
Amoding is from the Iteso community, rather than one of Tooro’s recognised clans. Fr Oyo said this does not prevent her from serving as queen, but stressed that maternal clan lineage remains important when determining eligibility for royal succession.
He said an heir to the Tooro throne must be born to a mother belonging to one of the recognised clans of Tooro.
The clarification places the question of royal succession beyond the immediate marriage of Nyabongo I and Amoding, potentially making the cultural status of their future children an issue for the kingdom to consider.
Fr Oyo also rejected suggestions that Amoding would need to be adopted into a Tooro clan for her marriage to be culturally recognised.
He explained that people from outside Tooro may undergo cultural initiation, but cautioned that such initiation has limits and does not automatically resolve every question concerning royal succession.
Queen Mother’s role changes
Fr Oyo also addressed the position of the Queen Mother following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27.
He said the Queen Mother ceases to hold an official palace role once the reigning king dies, providing an explanation for the changes expected within Tooro’s royal household as the kingdom enters a new reign.
The clarification comes against the backdrop of a contested succession following the death of King Oyo.
The Babiito Royal Clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as successor, giving him the regnal name Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I. The Tooro Kingdom Supreme Council subsequently endorsed the selection.
Members of the late king’s family have questioned the succession process, particularly amid claims that Oyo left a biological son who could have a claim to the throne. The dispute has been reported by international and Ugandan media, although the kingdom’s established traditional structures have proceeded with Nyabongo I’s selection.
The Attorney General has also said the kingdom can proceed with preparations because no formal court challenge had been filed.
Coronation set for September 29
The government confirmed on Thursday that Nyabongo I will be formally crowned on September 29 at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is processing the Gazette notice formally recognising the new Omukama, according to Minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs Mary Kuteesa Kamuli.
The coronation will mark the beginning of a new reign following Oyo’s 31-year tenure, which began when he ascended the throne as a three-year-old in 1995.
The ceremony has been budgeted at about Shs1.2 billion. Kamuli said government would support the event, while Musuuga Charles Kamurasi appealed to corporate organisations, friends of Tooro and well-wishers to contribute towards the preparations.
Fr Oyo declined to disclose how much had already been raised or the size of the government’s contribution, saying he first needed to verify the figures.
With the coronation now days away, the questions surrounding the new royal household highlight the continuing importance of maternal lineage, clan identity and traditional succession rules in determining the future of Tooro’s monarchy.
