Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a 56-year-old Ugandan journalist and former television news anchor, was crowned the new king of the Tooro Kingdom on Tuesday.

A 21-member committee from the royal Babiito clan selected Mr Kijanangoma, who is Oyo Nyimba’s cousin.

The minister for information, Charles Mwanguhya, told the BBC Focus on Africa podcast that a mock fight would follow his crowning to show that the title does not come easy.

Mr Kijanangoma would then be blessed by members of the royal Babiito clan, he said.

But his selection was far from straightforward.

According to tradition, a recognised son of the late king should have succeeded him. Close members of the royal family said Oyo had left a young son and a will with instructions that the child should be next on the throne.

The late King Oyo was never publicly married, and little is known about his wife or their son.

Queen Best Kemigisa, the newly installed monarch mother, said Mr Kijanangoma’s selection as the second king was after the will of King Oyo was read to members of the royal family.

“As a mother, that was extraordinarily painful,” she said, describing celebrations for the next king taking place “only metres from where my son’s body lay.”

The queen later said Oyo’s son, who was in the U.S. state of Texas, was due to return home, but that could not happen amid a “tense and polarised succession dispute”.

“No child should be placed in circumstances where returning to his father’s homeland could mean being drawn into hostility and conflict,” Ms Kemigisa asserted in a post on X.

The succession committee said the South East Dons captain and goalkeeper declined the offer of the throne.

When announced as the new Tooro king, Mr Kijanangoma promised that the palace would be open to the people, while vowing to focus on unity and development.

“I ask you for one thing – they have given me this title as king, but I cannot work alone; I have to work with you,” he said.