Kampala, Sept 14. (dpa/GNA) – Nine days after his death, the man believed to have been the world’s youngest reigning monarch was buried in western Uganda on Saturday.
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of the traditional Tooro kingdom, died of cancer in late August. He was 34.
Thousands of people attended mourning rituals and his burial. Oyo was crowned in 1995 at the age of three and was acknowledged as the world’s youngest king by the Guinness World Records last year.
Uganda’s traditional kings are not allowed to take part in politics, and mainly perform social and ceremonial duties.
Among other things, Oyo was involved in environmental protection and in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Anglican Church of Uganda announced it wanted to plant 15 million trees in his memory.
A dispute broke out over Oyo’s succession after his death. For a time, an amateur footballer living in London was discussed as a possible new king.
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma has since been installed as his successor. Parts of the royal family, including Oyo’s mother, opposed the choice of the 56-year-old, who works as a producer and newsreader for the state broadcaster UBC.
A high priest led the coffin and the heir to the throne on foot to the royal tombs, six kilometres away. There, the future king laid bark cloth on Oyo’s body, threw nine coffee berries into the grave and poured milk from a calabash onto the ground. This introduced the new king to the spirits and asked for their protection, Tooro elder Adam Nyakaana told dpa.
GNA