A new controversy has emerged within the Tooro royal family following allegations that Queen Mother Best Kemigisa moved to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV’s demonstration farm in Bugaaki, Kyenjojo, and removed a large number of cattle.
The allegations were made by Irumba, who has described himself as a media mouthpiece for the Tooro Kingdom. According to Irumba, the Queen Mother travelled to the farm on Monday night accompanied by heavy trucks and allegedly supervised the transportation of the cattle from the property.
Irumba claimed that more than 82 cows were taken from the farm, although the exact number and ownership of the animals could not independently be established from publicly available information.
The allegations come only days after the burial of King Oyo, who died in the United States on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34 after battling cancer. The former monarch, who ascended the Tooro throne at the age of three in 1995, was buried at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12.
Irumba further alleged that the Queen Mother later went to Karuzika Palace, where she reportedly attempted to load what he described as *enkorogi zo’mukama* — cattle associated with the king.
According to the allegation, some of those animals included cattle donated to the late King Oyo by Junior Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, the Kingdom of the Democratic Republic of Congo and other friends and well-wishers.
The claims have added another layer to the tensions surrounding the Tooro royal household following the death of King Oyo and the controversy over his succession.
However, there has been no publicly available independent confirmation establishing that Queen Mother Kemigisa personally ordered or supervised the alleged removal of the cattle. Neither has there been a publicly verified inventory showing which animals belonged to King Oyo personally, the Tooro Kingdom institution or other individuals and donors.
The allegations also come against the backdrop of a highly contested succession process. Following Oyo’s death, members of the royal family raised questions about the identity and rights of an alleged biological son of the late monarch, while the Babiito royal clan selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new Omukama. International reporting has described the succession dispute as contentious, with members of Oyo’s family arguing that his wishes should be respected.
Queen Mother Kemigisa has publicly called for unity and peace in Tooro. During the funeral service for her son, she urged subjects not to allow disagreements over succession to destroy King Oyo’s legacy. She also cautioned against social-media commentary that could deepen divisions within the kingdom.
The allegations about the cattle therefore introduce a separate dispute over the late king’s estate and property at a time when the royal family is already dealing with disagreements over succession.
Questions are likely to arise over the ownership of the cattle, who has authority over animals kept on King Oyo’s farms, and whether any formal inventory of his property was conducted following his death.
The reported events have also generated criticism from some commentators, who interpret the alleged movement of property as evidence that attention has shifted from mourning the late monarch toward control of his estate. That interpretation, however, remains an opinion rather than an established fact.
For now, the claims remain allegations attributed to Irumba, and further clarification from the Tooro Kingdom, the Queen Mother’s representatives or officials responsible for King Oyo’s estate would be necessary to establish what happened at Bugaaki and Karuzika Palace.
King Oyo’s death has already left Tooro facing a major transition. His burial brought the formal mourning period to a close, while the unresolved questions surrounding succession and the late monarch’s estate continue to attract public attention.
