Queen Mother Best Kemigisa has thanked the people of Tooro, Uganda, and supporters around the world for standing with her family during the death and burial of her only son, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, and pledged to turn his legacy into transformative projects in health, sport, agriculture, tourism, and youth development.
In a statement issued after the King’s burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12, Kemigisa described the period since Oyo’s death on August 27 as one of the most painful experiences of her life, but said the support shown to the family had given her strength to face each day.
“King Oyo was my son before he was my King,” she said. “I held him as a little boy. I watched him grow. I watched him carry responsibilities far greater than his age. I watched him become a man, a leader, and an Omukama loved far beyond the borders of Tooro.”
Oyo died aged 34 while receiving treatment for cancer in the United States, bringing to an end a 31-year reign that began when he was three years old. He was buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12, exactly 31 years after he had been enthroned.
The Queen Mother said the pain of losing her only son had been eased, in part, by the response of the people who stood along roads and gathered at Karuziika Palace to receive and mourn him.
“To every person who came to the airport and stood along the roads as my son came home; to the thousands who came to Karuziika Palace during those nine long days; to those who prayed with us in churches across the world; to those who travelled from near and far to Fort Portal; and to everyone who sent a message, made a telephone call, offered a prayer, or simply cried with us: thank you,” she said. “You stood by me when I could hardly carry myself.”
Best singled out President Museveni for special appreciation, saying he had known Oyo from childhood and supported him through the difficult early years of his reign and later during his illness. She also thanked the President for agreeing to serve as Patron and Founding Chairman of the King Oyo Memorial Foundation.
The Queen Mother said she and her daughter, Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, had decided that their response to Oyo’s death would not be limited to mourning but would include projects intended to serve communities in his name.
“King Oyo’s legacy will live through the Foundation he inspires,” she said. “It will live through his mother and his sister, Princess Ruth. It will live through his child and the generations that come after us.”
At the centre of that plan is the proposed King Oyo Memorial Foundation, which Best said would provide a framework through which the late King’s values and interests could continue to benefit Ugandans.
Among the projects announced are:
King Oyo Tooro Museum: A proposed museum to preserve personal belongings and important objects from the late King’s life and reign. Kemigisa said the museum would also document the wider history and culture of Tooro while contributing to Fort Portal’s tourism sector, creating opportunities for guides, artists, craftspeople, hotels, local businesses, and young Ugandans.
King Oyo International Stadium: The Queen Mother revived the vision for the stadium, noting that Oyo had donated approximately 50 acres of land to government during his lifetime for its development. “The Stadium should help young Ugandans discover and develop sporting talent, give schools and communities a place to compete, host major events, and create careers, discipline, health and opportunity,” she said.
King Oyo Research and Teaching Hospital: A proposed facility that would include dedicated cancer and HIV research centres, alongside clinical treatment, medical training, early detection, and research. “If work carried out in my son’s name helps another mother keep her child, then his legacy will have performed one of its greatest acts of service,” she said.
King Oyo’s Farm at Bugaaki: The family plans to develop the late King’s existing farm into a centre for agricultural education, innovation, and community outreach, providing opportunities for schools, young people, and farmers to learn about modern farming, agribusiness, and value addition.
“These projects are not simply monuments bearing King Oyo’s name. They are his legacy put to work for the people,” Kemigisa said. “This is how Princess Ruth and I want to mourn King Oyo: not only with tears, but with service.”
Kemigisa also used the statement to address young Ugandans who admired Oyo during his lifetime, urging them not to view age as a barrier to leadership, service, or achievement.
“Never believe that your age prevents you from serving, leading or making a difference,” she said. “My son became King when he was only a little boy. He did not choose the enormous responsibility that came to him so early in life, but year after year, I watched him grow into it.”
She urged young people to “dream, learn, serve” and believe in themselves while keeping faith and service at the centre of their lives.
The statement came against the backdrop of a succession dispute that emerged during the mourning period. The Babiito royal clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as its preferred successor on September 9, three days before Oyo’s burial. Kemigisa and other members of the royal family had disputed the timing and maintained that Oyo’s wishes regarding succession should be respected.
However, in her post-burial statement, she sought to shift the focus from the dispute to the future. She said she did not want “anger to have the final word” and pledged to pursue peace, lawful processes, and faith.
“We will not allow fear, anger or disappointment to define the future,” she said. “We will continue to seek peace, to respect lawful processes and to trust God with what is beyond our hands.”
She also asked those who supported Oyo’s wishes to remain calm. “Please, be at peace,” she said. “My son served a living God.”
The Queen Mother called on those who loved the late King to join the family in preserving his legacy.
“Let us build rather than divide. Let us serve rather than fight. Let us give our children something greater than the disagreements of today,” she said. “My son has finished his earthly journey, but his story has not ended. As long as I have strength, I will continue working for the things my son loved. As long as Princess Ruth and I are here, we will continue protecting his memory and building his legacy.”
