FAMReports News Desk | September 2026
Tooro Kingdom’s Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa, has broken her silence over the escalating dispute surrounding the succession to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, appealing to the government, the UPDF leadership and those contesting the throne to allow the royal family to mourn and bury the late monarch before continuing the succession debate.
In a statement dated September 10, 2026, Kemigisa said she was writing “with a heavy heart,” recalling the death of her husband, former Omukama Patrick, when their son Oyo was only two years old and describing the decades of struggles that followed in securing Oyo’s position as King.
The Queen Mother also directly challenged the account previously given by Andrew Mwenda concerning the Babiito succession process, saying another king was announced before the royal family had arrived in Fort Portal and before the late King’s will was considered.
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She further alleged that security forces were deployed around the palace and that the royal family had been prevented from freely leaving or receiving visitors.
FAMReports has not independently verified all the claims contained in the Queen Mother’s statement.
What You Need to Know
• Queen Mother Best Kemigisa issued the statement on September 10, 2026.
• She says her son King Oyo was only two years old when his father, Omukama Patrick, died.
• She recalls a previous succession dispute in which she says some Babiito argued that Oyo was too young to become King.
• She says the matter went to court and Oyo ultimately prevailed.
• Kemigisa says she lost her daughter Cecilia to leukemia several years later.
• She says King Oyo served Tooro for 31 years and was supported by people across Uganda and internationally.
• She says the President and UPDF supported preparations for King Oyo’s burial.
• She alleges that another King was announced before her family reached Fort Portal.
• She says royal guards were removed and troops deployed around the palace three days before the burial.
• She says King Oyo’s will was read before representatives of the Royal Family and Government.
• According to her, the will clearly established the order of succession.
• She says a further meeting was agreed upon under the chairmanship of Gen. Henry Tumukunde.
• She alleges that some Babiito nevertheless held a press conference and declared another King that same evening.
• She has appealed for the royal family to be allowed to mourn and bury King Oyo peacefully.
A Mother’s Account of a Long Royal Struggle
Kemigisa begins her statement by revisiting one of the most difficult periods of her life. She says she was 26 years old when her husband, Omukama Patrick, died. At the time, she was reportedly in the United Kingdom receiving treatment for her young daughter Cecilia, while Oyo was only two years old.
According to the Queen Mother, she returned home to bury her husband and mourn his death but soon found herself involved in another battle over her young son’s right to the throne. She says members of the Babiito clan argued that Oyo was too young to become King at three years of age.
She further says opponents argued that Omukama Patrick had not left a will naming Oyo as his successor and that, based on the will of Omukama Rukiidi, the throne should instead pass to Oyo’s uncle. The dispute eventually went to court. Kemigisa says Oyo prevailed.
Thirty One Years of King Oyo’s Reign
The Queen Mother says Oyo subsequently went on to serve Tooro for 31 years. She describes him as a King who built relationships across Uganda and internationally and says he enjoyed the support of the people. She also credits President Yoweri Museveni with supporting Oyo and helping build Tooro Kingdom into what it is today.
Kemigisa recalls another deeply painful family loss during Oyo’s reign. She says her daughter Cecilia died from leukemia and claims that none of the clan leaders now involved in the succession dispute visited the family or assisted with her burial.
Her account portrays the current succession dispute against the backdrop of decades of personal loss, royal responsibility and family struggle.
King Oyo’s Death and Preparations for Burial
Kemigisa says she lost her only son on August 27, 2026, describing his death as the result of cancer. She expresses gratitude to President Museveni for efforts to ensure that Oyo was returned to Tooro with the dignity she believes he deserved.
She also thanks the UPDF engineering brigade for beginning construction work on the royal grave and roads leading to the royal tombs. The Queen Mother specifically thanked the Chief of Defence Forces for the support.
Dispute Over the Announcement of Another King
One of the central complaints in the statement concerns the timing of the announcement of another potential successor.
Kemigisa says that while her family was travelling to Fort Portal and had reached Kyenjojo, Andrew Mwenda announced that a group of Babiito had selected another King.
She says none of the individuals involved had contacted her to offer condolences, inquire about King Oyo’s will or discuss plans that the late King may have left.
This directly contrasts with Mwenda’s earlier account, in which he said a general meeting of the Babiito had been held on August 28 and that a 21 member Royal Succession Committee had been selected to identify a successor.
Mwenda subsequently said the committee considered several candidates before selecting another candidate after the leading candidate requested time to consult his family and business associates.
The competing accounts have now become a central feature of the Tooro succession controversy.
Queen Mother Alleges Security Deployment at Palace
Kemigisa also raises serious concerns about events at the palace shortly before King Oyo’s burial.
She says that three days before the burial, Gen. Kayanja Muhanga came to the palace and removed the royal guards without notice.
She alleges that troops were then deployed around the palace and that the Musuuga was taken away to an undisclosed location.
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The Queen Mother says the security presence has restricted the family’s freedom of movement and ability to receive visitors. “We are under house arrest,” she says in the statement.
FAMReports has not independently verified the circumstances surrounding the security deployment or the Queen Mother’s characterization of the situation as house arrest.
Queen Mother Says Oyo’s Will Sets Out Succession
Kemigisa says that at 4pm, King Oyo’s will was read before representatives of the Royal Family and Government. Those she identifies as being present include the Musuuga, Princess Ruth Komuntale, Princess Margaret Komubaizi, Father Oyo, Monsignor Father Mayombo and Maj Gen. Henry Tumukunde, whom she identifies as the Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development representing the President.
According to Kemigisa, the will clearly established the order of succession to the Tooro throne. She says the parties agreed to meet again the following day under Gen. Tumukunde’s chairmanship.
This is a significant point of disagreement with the interpretation previously offered by Mwenda.
Mwenda had said that, in his reading of the 2022 will, there was only a hypothetical heir and that being a biological son of the late King would not automatically make someone eligible for the throne under Tooro traditions.
Kemigisa’s statement, by contrast, presents the will as clearly setting out an order of succession. The precise wording and legal or customary interpretation of the will remain matters that require authoritative clarification.
Another King Declared Despite Agreement, Queen Mother Says
Kemigisa says that despite the agreement to meet the following day under Gen. Tumukunde’s chairmanship, the situation changed that same evening.
According to her statement, the Babiito group held a press conference and declared its own King.
She describes the decision as being made in disregard of the will and the agreement reached with the government minister.
For Kemigisa, the timing was particularly painful because she says King Oyo’s body was still lying in its casket nearby.
She says the family was devastated by the decision and that the manner in which the announcement was made caused them profound hurt.
“Let Us Grieve and Bury My Son”
The emotional core of Kemigisa’s statement is an appeal for the succession dispute to be temporarily set aside.
She calls on Gen. Kayanja Muhanga, the UPDF leadership and President Museveni to allow her family the freedom and dignity to mourn.
She also appeals directly to those involved in the struggle for the throne. Her message is that there will be time to resolve the succession question, but that the immediate priority should be mourning and burying King Oyo.
Kemigisa describes Oyo as a good son and a good King who loved Tooro and served its people for 31 years. She also emphasizes his religious faith, saying that he served God.“He has gone to be with the Lord,” she says, while asking that the late King be allowed to return home with the dignity and respect she believes he deserves.
A Succession Dispute Now Involves Competing Accounts
The latest statement adds another dimension to an already complex succession dispute.
On one side, Mwenda has argued that the Babiito followed an established process through a general meeting and a Royal Succession Committee and that questions were raised over the identity and eligibility of a purported son of King Oyo.
On the other, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa argues that the process disregarded the late King’s will and says the royal family was not properly consulted before another King was declared.
At the centre of the disagreement is the interpretation of Tooro customary succession, the authority of the Babiito, the status of King Oyo’s will and the question of who has legitimate authority to determine the next Omukama.
Background and Context
The Tooro Kingdom is facing a major institutional transition following the death of King Oyo, who had occupied the throne since childhood.
The succession question has become increasingly contentious as different actors advance competing interpretations of customary procedures and the late King’s wishes.
The involvement of government and security officials has further heightened public interest in the dispute.
For the public, the competing statements demonstrate the importance of establishing a clear, authoritative account of the succession process, particularly at a moment when the royal family is preparing for the burial of the late monarch.
Why It Matters
The dispute has implications for the continuity and credibility of Tooro’s cultural institutions.
A contested succession could deepen divisions within the royal family and the wider Babiito community if competing claims are not addressed through recognized cultural and institutional processes.
At the same time, the Queen Mother’s appeal highlights the humanitarian and emotional dimension of the dispute.
Whatever the eventual outcome of the succession process, the immediate question raised by her statement is whether the royal family can be allowed to mourn and bury King Oyo without further confrontation.
What Happens Next
The next stage is likely to focus on the interpretation of King Oyo’s will, the legitimacy of the succession process already undertaken and the role of the Babiito and other recognized Tooro institutions in determining the next monarch.
The involvement of government representatives could also become increasingly important if disagreements continue.
For now, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa is asking that the succession dispute be set aside until after the burial. Her appeal is fundamentally one for restraint, dignity and time to grieve.
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