A journalist on Tuesday was crowned king of a traditional monarchy that lost its onetime “boy king” last month, triggering widespread grief and a succession dispute in Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom. The journalist is a prince who had long been employed as a broadcaster and editor with Uganda Broadcasting Corp. He picked the regnal name of Edward Rukidi Nyabongo. He performed rituals overnight, was ushered into the palace, and was formally unveiled to his followers on Tuesday, the AP reports.
The coronation ceremony in Fort Portal, a remote town in western Uganda not far from the Congo border, was watched by thousands in person and on televised broadcasts. Speaking at the event, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni urged traditional leaders to promote local languages.