Queen Mother Best Kemigisa has outlined plans to preserve the King Oyo legacy through proposed projects in health, sport, agriculture, tourism and youth development following the burial of her only son.
Kemigisa thanked people in Tooro, Uganda and supporters around the world for standing with the royal family during King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV’s death and burial.
Oyo died on August 27, 2026, aged 34, while receiving cancer treatment in the United States.
His remains arrived in Uganda on September 4 and were received at Entebbe International Airport before being taken to Karuziika Palace, where they lay in state.
He was buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12, exactly 31 years after he had been enthroned.
For Kemigisa, the loss was deeply personal because Oyo was her only son. “King Oyo was my son before he was my King,”
Oyo became King at the age of three following the death of his father, Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II.
He remained on the Tooro throne for 31 years and was the world’s youngest reigning monarch at the time of his enthronement in 1995.
Kemigisa said the support shown by mourners along the roads, at Karuziika Palace and at the burial gave her strength during the difficult period. “You stood by me when I could hardly carry myself.”
At the centre of the family’s plans is the proposed King Oyo Memorial Foundation, which is intended to provide a framework for programmes inspired by the late King’s values and interests.
President Museveni has agreed to serve as Patron and Founding Chairman of the proposed foundation.
Kemigisa said she and her daughter, Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, want to preserve Oyo’s memory through projects that provide practical benefits to communities.
“King Oyo’s legacy will live through the Foundation he inspires,” One of the proposed projects is the King Oyo Tooro Museum.
The museum is intended to preserve personal belongings and important objects from Oyo’s life and reign while also documenting the history and culture of Tooro.
Kemigisa said the museum could contribute to Fort Portal’s tourism sector and create opportunities for guides, artists, craftspeople, hotels, local businesses and young Ugandans. The family also wants to revive the vision for the King Oyo International Stadium.
According to Kemigisa, Oyo donated approximately 50 acres of land to government during his lifetime for the development of a stadium.
The family wants the project completed, with Kemigisa saying it could provide space for sporting talent development, school and community competitions, major events and opportunities for young people.
“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,” Another proposed initiative is the King Oyo Research and Teaching Hospital.
Kemigisa said the proposed facility would combine clinical treatment with medical training, early detection and research, including dedicated cancer and HIV research centres.
“It should treat patients, train Ugandan doctors and health professionals, support research and early detection, and bring world-class partnerships closer to ordinary families,”
The family also plans to develop Oyo’s existing farm at Bugaaki into a centre for agricultural education, innovation and community outreach.
The proposed project would give schools, young people and farmers opportunities 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,”
The plans also come at a time when the Tooro royal family is dealing with a succession dispute following Oyo’s death.
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 disputed the timing and maintained that Oyo’s wishes regarding succession should be respected.
However, her post-burial statement placed greater emphasis on peace and the future.
“We will not allow fear, anger or disappointment to define the future. We will continue to seek peace, to respect lawful processes and to trust God with what is beyond our hands.”
Kemigisa also addressed young Ugandans who admired Oyo, encouraging 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 urged young people to “dream, learn, serve” while keeping faith and service at the centre of their lives.
The Queen Mother also reflected on the personal pain of losing her only son and urged parents to value their children and ordinary moments with them.
“I never imagined that I would one day have to stand before the world and speak about my only son in the past tense. I would give anything for one more conversation, one more laugh, one more ordinary day with him.”
The projects outlined by Kemigisa remain proposals, and the fact sheet does not provide implementation dates, budgets or confirmed construction timelines for the museum, stadium, hospital or agricultural centre.
It also does not provide details on the legal or administrative structure of the proposed King Oyo Memorial Foundation.
For now, Kemigisa says the family’s focus is on ensuring that Oyo’s memory is connected to service rather than mourning alone.
“This is how Princess Ruth and I want to mourn King Oyo: not only with tears, but with service.”
The Queen Mother’s plans put the King Oyo legacy on a path that goes beyond remembrance, with proposed investments in communities, young people, healthcare, sport, agriculture and Tooro’s cultural heritage.
“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.”
