In one of the most emotional moments of the royal funeral service at St. John’s Cathedral, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa laid bare the profound grief of losing her son, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, revealing that she had repeatedly pleaded with God to take her life instead of the monarch’s.
Addressing mourners gathered to bid farewell to the 34-year-old king, Kemigisa shared the agony she endured at her son’s bedside during his final weeks, while issuing a passionate appeal for unity across Tooro Kingdom as succession tensions continue to brew.
“I really asked God to take me first when I was in the hospital instead of King Oyo. I begged God, but He decided to take King Oyo first,” Kemigisa told the congregation. “I asked myself if God needed him more than me. I prayed and He refused, and I wondered, now what will I do? But anyway, that was God’s will to take him. I can’t disagree with God.”
ALSO READ:
- Court Martial Convicts Wakiso Taxi Driver Over UPDF Attire
- Court Martial Sentences Two State Informers to Death
- Renegade Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu Apprehended in Soroti City Over Subversive Activities
- Abraham Luzzi Slasts UEDCL After Blackout Interrupts Birthday Party
- Celebrated Comedian Kapere Passes Away
Kemigisa’s remarks came as Tooro concluded its nine-day official mourning period following King Oyo’s passing on August 27, 2026. Steering completely clear of the ongoing royal succession dispute, the Queen Mother used her address to urge the Babiito clan, kingdom leaders, and subjects to remain peaceful and protect the late monarch’s legacy.
“Since we returned to Tooro, the region has been peaceful and calm with people mourning their king. Let’s remain united and peaceful for this king who was loved world over,” Kemigisa urged.
She also cautioned the public against using digital platforms to fuel division or spread unverified rumors regarding the royal family.
“The world has evolved and there’s TikTok where everyone has an opinion. Please do better while saying this and that about us. Show us love and we shall also extend love,” she remarked. “Let’s not ruin the legacy of our king. We should keep developing our world.”
In a written tribute read on her behalf by Ugandan diplomat and Tooro Kingdom official Guma Komiswa, Kemigisa noted that Oyo’s life had brought pride to the nation: “We thank God because our king was born and made history. Same has happened in his death. He lived a historic life that made Tooro and Uganda known much.”
The loss of King Oyo marks another chapter of profound personal tragedy for Queen Mother Kemigisa.
In 1995, she lost her husband, Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, paving the way for a three-year-old Oyo to be enthroned. Just two years later, in October 1997, tragedy struck again when her young daughter, Princess Celia Komukyeya, passed away from leukaemia.
With King Oyo’s death, Princess Ruth Komuntale remains Kemigisa’s only surviving child.
Cause of Death Revealed; Princess Komuntale Defends Prime Minister
Taking the podium to remember her late brother, Princess Ruth Komuntale revealed for the first time that King Oyo succumbed to angiosarcoma—an aggressive and rare form of cancer—on August 27 in Dallas, Texas, where he had been receiving specialized medical treatment.
Komuntale described her brother as “a person beyond the crown,” remembering him as a quiet, reserved, and deeply curious man who never lost his youthful sense of joy despite the heavy burdens of statehood.
“He worked hard, learnt, prayed and loved his family,” Komuntale said. “After everything he endured in this life, my brother is no longer suffering and has perhaps met the father and sister we lost.”
Crucially, Princess Komuntale defended Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Omuhikirwa Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire against public criticism regarding why information about the King’s health had been kept secret.
She clarified that Prime Minister Rwomiire was among many officials who were intentionally kept in the dark because King Oyo had personally requested that his illness remain strictly private. Oyo strongly believed he would recover and did not want to cause fear or panic among his subjects. According to Komuntale, the monarch’s medical condition deteriorated rapidly around mid-July.
Archbishop Warns Against Words Spoken in Grief
The funeral service, presided over by the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, featured a sermon focused on reconciliation and constructive dialogue.
Archbishop Kaziimba warned kingdom leaders and mourners against allowing grief to escalate into political or cultural conflict.
“In grief, unity is so key. Grief shouldn’t divide us; it should bind us,” Kaziimba preached. “Let us be careful with words spoken in grief. One way to uphold King Oyo’s legacy is by ensuring that people hold talks instead of talking about one another.”
King Oyo was subsequently laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Mausoleum in Fort Portal, marking the end of a historic 31-year reign.
Discover more from SANTA MEDIA UGANDA
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
