The Babiito royal clan has explained how Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was selected as the new Omukama of Tooro, saying the process involved nomination, selection and detailed vetting by a 21-member succession committee.The committee was appointed by the Babiito royal clan following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV to handle the process of identifying his successor.Fr Charles Oyo, a member of the Babiito royal clan and the 21-member committee, speaking to Daily Monitor, said the committee did not use a voting system to determine the next King.Instead, the members developed criteria to guide them in identifying and assessing potential candidates from different generations of the royal family.“The process was quite long because we were given responsibility by the Babiito clan. There were 21 people, and we sat down and had a lot of discussions,” Fr Oyo said.He explained that the committee first established criteria before considering possible candidates from different generations of the royal family.“We looked at different generations. We did not have any child to put into consideration. Then we went to Kaboyo’s generation and to Rukidi’s generation,” he said.Prince Edward Kijanangoma is a grandson of the late Omukama Rukidi III, while his father, the late Christopher Paul Kijanangoma, was a son of Rukidi III.According to Fr Oyo, the committee considered several factors, including leadership skills, education, experience and the candidates’ knowledge of Tooro’s culture, rituals, customs and traditions.“We looked at the skills required for someone to become a leader. We considered the competencies and experience this person has, their acquaintance with the culture of Tooro, and their acquaintance with the rituals, customs and traditions of the Tooro Kingdom,” he said.The committee also assessed the candidates’ ability to listen to the people, understand and articulate their concerns, work with government and other stakeholders, and deliver results.Fr Oyo said the committee also considered the wider social needs of the kingdom, including strong families, disciplined children and citizens who understand and respect Tooro’s culture.“We need good families, we need good children, we need discipline, and we need cultured citizens. We cannot have cultured citizens if we do not have good families,” he said.He stressed that the process was not an election or a simple vote among the 21 committee members.Queen Kemigisa alleges house arrest, appeals for freedom and dignity to mourn from the UPDFInstead, candidates were first nominated, after which the committee used its agreed criteria to select those who would proceed to the next stage before subjecting them to detailed vetting.“No, no, no. We had nomination. After nomination, there was a criterion that we followed to pick out someone who is going to another stage. After nomination, we did selections. After selections, we followed with vetting,” Fr Oyo said.He said the candidates were vetted “seriously and critically” before the committee came up with a priority list.Some of the candidates contacted during the process, he added, declined the responsibility because of other commitments.“Someone has to accept and say, ‘Yes, I will, and I am going to make this happen,’” he said.Fr Oyo explained that the committee ranked the candidates according to priority and then approached them individually.“The first one said, ‘No, I have responsibilities, and I am not able to be the king.’ The next one, good enough, accepted the responsibility and we allowed him to be our next king,” he said.The process eventually led to the proclamation of Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new Omukama of Tooro at Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal City on Wednesday evening.The post Babiito explain process behind selection of Prince Edward Kijanangoma as new Omukama of Tooro appeared first on MBU.