Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, explained why King Oyo’s son remained in the United States, citing fears over the kingdom’s unresolved succession dispute.
In a statement of appreciation following the burial of her son, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, Kemigisa said the family had initially planned for the child to return to Uganda with them after Oyo’s death.
She said the plan changed as tensions over the succession intensified, raising concerns about exposing the child to the dispute surrounding his father’s throne.
“Before leaving Texas, our family had hoped that King Oyo’s child would return on the same plane with us. However, as events unfolded in Tooro, concerns grew about bringing a child into a tense and polarised succession dispute. Ultimately, the child did not return with us,” Kemigisa said.
The Queen Mother said she was saddened by the situation, arguing that a child should not be placed in circumstances where returning to his father’s homeland could expose him to hostility or conflict.
The existence of Oyo’s son became public after the late king died in the United States on August 27, aged 34. Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced that Oyo had left behind a son whose identity would be revealed at an appropriate time.
Oyo’s immediate family has maintained that the child is named in the late king’s 2022 will as his intended successor. However, the Babiito royal clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new king, creating an unresolved dispute over the succession.
Kijanangoma was selected by a 21-member succession committee and his position was subsequently supported by Tooro’s royal institutions, while Oyo’s family has rejected the process and continued to point to the late king’s wishes.
Kemigisa said her family had wanted Oyo to receive a peaceful and dignified burial before succession matters were addressed.
She also said representatives of the family had reached an understanding with government leaders, the Musuga and Babiito representatives that succession disputes would not take place during the burial, but claimed the agreement was not honoured.
Beyond the succession dispute, Kemigisa used the statement to announce plans to preserve Oyo’s legacy through the King Oyo Memorial Foundation.
She said the Foundation would support projects including a museum, an international stadium, a research and teaching hospital and the expansion of Oyo’s Bugaaki farm into an agricultural education and innovation centre.
The proposed museum would preserve Oyo’s personal belongings and Tooro’s history, while the hospital would focus on treatment, training, research and dedicated cancer and HIV research centres.
Kemigisa said she and Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale would continue protecting Oyo’s legacy and serving Tooro and Uganda.
“My son has finished his earthly journey, but his story has not ended,” she said, calling for peace, service and unity as the kingdom navigates the unresolved succession question.