Uganda’s Attorney General, Sam Mayanja, has reportedly advised President Yoweri Museveni to allow the late Omukama of Tooro, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru, to guide the succession process through his written will.
The advice comes amid growing disagreement over who should take over the Tooro throne following the death of King Oyo, with members of the royal family and other stakeholders advancing different positions over the succession.
According to the information available, Mayanja told President Museveni that the late King’s will should be respected in determining his successor and that anyone challenging the contents of the document should seek legal redress through the courts.
The will, reportedly written in 2022, sets out a succession preference that places a recognised biological son of the late King first in line to inherit the throne.
However, in the absence of such a son, the document reportedly names Prince Komwiswa Yoweri as the person who should succeed King Oyo.
The contents of the alleged will have therefore become central to the ongoing debate over who should occupy the Tooro throne.
The dispute follows the death of King Oyo at the age of 34 after receiving medical treatment in the United States. His death has left the Kingdom facing a delicate succession process, with questions emerging over the identity of his rightful successor and the procedures that should be followed before a new Omukama is installed.
Mayanja’s reported position places emphasis on the legal status of the will, suggesting that the document should remain the reference point unless it is successfully challenged before a competent court.
This position could potentially shift the succession debate from political and royal discussions to a legal process if any interested party contests the authenticity or validity of the document.
Meanwhile, the traditional nine coffee beans ritual, an important cultural element associated with the installation of a new Tooro king, is reportedly being held off until the succession dispute is resolved.
The delay means that the Kingdom has yet to complete a key stage in the traditional process of confirming or installing a new monarch.
The controversy has intensified as different voices within the royal family have expressed competing views about the succession.
For the Batooro, the dispute has created uncertainty at a time when the Kingdom is still mourning the death of King Oyo.
The Attorney General’s reported advice now places the late King’s 2022 will at the centre of the succession question.
If the document is accepted as valid and no recognised biological son is established as the rightful heir, its reported naming of Prince Komwiswa Yoweri could become a significant factor in determining the next Omukama.
However, the ultimate outcome will depend on the legal and cultural processes followed by the relevant authorities and Tooro Kingdom institutions.
Until the dispute is settled, the succession remains contested, while the traditional installation process, including the nine coffee beans ritual, remains on hold.
