Queen Mother Best Kemigisa has revealed that the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV’s child remained in the United States after plans for the child to return to Uganda with the royal family changed amid tensions surrounding the Tooro succession.
In a statement of appreciation released Tuesday, Kemigisa said the family had initially hoped the child would travel with them from Texas as they returned to Uganda with Oyo’s body for burial.
“Before leaving Texas, our family had hoped that King Oyo’s child would return on the same plane with us,” Kemigisa said.
According to the Queen Mother, those plans changed as events surrounding the succession became increasingly tense. She said the family grew concerned about bringing a child into what she described as a “tense and polarised succession dispute.”
“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,” she said.
Kemigisa said she was saddened that the succession dispute had affected plans to bring her grandson to his father’s homeland.
The revelation comes as the royal family continues to deal with tensions surrounding events that followed Oyo’s death and his burial at Karambi. Kemigisa said the family had engaged government officials and representatives of the Babiito before the burial.
According to her statement, the family believed there had been an understanding that succession rituals would not take place during Oyo’s burial.
“What happened at Karambi left me devastated,” Kemigisa said, adding that the events caused her and Princess Ruth Komuntale “profound distress.”
Despite the tensions, Kemigisa appealed for calm from Oyo’s supporters. She called on them to remain peaceful and respect lawful processes as the succession dispute continues.
The statement leaves the circumstances of Oyo’s child’s life in the United States largely undisclosed, with Kemigisa focusing instead on the family’s decision not to bring the child back to Uganda amid the tensions.