Fort Portal, Uganda — Thousands of Batooro on Monday night, September 28, took part in a historic torch-lit procession that ushered Omukama Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I into Karuziika Palace, marking a major stage in the transition to a new reign in Tooro Kingdom.
The traditional ceremony came ahead of Nyabongo I’s formal coronation on Tuesday, September 29, following the death of his predecessor, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died in the United States on August 27, 2026, aged 34.
The night journey
At about 10pm, Nyabongo I departed Rwengoma Palace, the traditional starting point for the incoming king’s journey to Karuziika.
He was accompanied by thousands of people who walked through Fort Portal City carrying traditional torches made from dried reeds. The procession was marked by dancing, chanting and other cultural displays as the crowds followed the king towards the royal palace.
According to the coronation programme, the night journey symbolises an attack and takeover of the royal seat.
The mock battle at Mugabante
At Mugabante, the main entrance to Karuziika Palace, Nyabongo I and his procession encountered palace defenders in a traditional mock battle.
The ritual symbolises the struggle involved in taking possession of the kingdom’s royal seat and the transfer of authority to a new monarch.
The incoming king emerged victorious before proceeding into Karuziika Palace with members of the royal family. The general public remained outside the palace gates as the king proceeded with rituals reserved for the royal institution.
The royal regalia restored
Inside Karuziika, Nyabongo I took his place on the restored royal throne.
Royal drums, spears and other regalia that had been turned upside down following King Oyo’s death were restored to their proper positions, symbolising the end of the mourning period and the beginning of a new reign.
The sculptures of lions at the palace and other designated locations were also uncovered after having remained covered during the mourning period.
These rituals marked the formal transition from the mourning period for King Oyo to the reign of Omukama Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I.
From cleansing rites to the throne
Before the palace entry, Nyabongo I had also undergone traditional cleansing rites known as okweeza, involving milk and coffee beans as part of the preparations for his assumption of the throne.
The night rituals therefore formed an important part of the traditional process leading to the formal coronation scheduled for September 29 at Karuziika Palace.
Nyabongo I, formerly known as Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, was selected by the Babiito ruling clan to succeed the late King Oyo. Reports identify him as a longtime journalist and news anchor with the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation and a son of the late Prince Christopher Paul Kijanangoma.
The torch-lit procession and mock battle have now set the stage for the formal coronation of Omukama Edward Rukidi Nyabongo I, as Tooro enters a new chapter following the reign of King Oyo.
