Komuntale recounts childhood with King Oyo, says deadly cancer was misdiagnosed in Uganda

Princess Ruth Komuntale, sister of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, has described her brother beyond the crown, remembering him as a kind, prayerful and playful person who remained humble despite carrying the responsibilities of the Tooro throne from a young age.

Speaking during King Oyo’s burial ceremony at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal on Saturday, September 12, 2026, Komuntale also revealed details about the late king’s battle with cancer, saying the rare and aggressive disease was initially misdiagnosed in Uganda before he received specialised treatment.

She said Oyo’s illness began in October 2025 after more than a year of seeking medical attention for different pains, adding that by the time the correct diagnosis was made, the cancer had already spread to several organs.

Below is her full speech:

My message to my brother is that beyond the crown, you were my baby brother and my King. It is very difficult to believe that we are here today saying goodbye to my baby brother.

When I think of him I think first of the person, then the crown. He was a God-fearing man, he could be quiet and reserved but once he decided to talk he would tell you story after story.

We loved reminiscing about the good old days, growing up as children and all the ways we used to make mama run for her money.

He was an amazing impersonator. You just saw him sitting on the throne but you had no idea what an amazing person he was. He could mimic the way someone talks down to their voice and mannerisms. He used to mimic the archbishop as well but in a good way. He had a way to make people laugh and he made my day.

Although he was younger than me; he was more like the older sibling. I suppose that was his way of being a man, a brother who had to protect mama and me when our dad left us to be with the Lord.

We loved it when our cousins came to visit. We played with our dogs as they chased us all over the house. We played games like Kwepena and enjoyed being children.

And even though he had already been crowned king, he was still just a kid who loved to play.

When the crown and responsibilities were set aside he always found ways to keep himself busy. He loved sports and he was an avid farmer who loved his cows.

He was also a man of faith. He spent time writing in his journal and studying scriptures, breaking down verses and reflecting on what they meant. He never stopped learning. He was curious about the world around him especially when he encountered something he knew little about.

And even though he became king and carried responsibilities far beyond what most people would experience, he never lost the young boy who loved to have fun.

He loved movies, dancing, going out to eat and exercising. He loved a good workout. He could spend an hour running on the treadmill. I am going to miss my training partner.

A great life lived and a great legacy left. If I could have five minutes with my brother today, I would tell him how proud I am of his strength and resilience through all this life; and how much I love him.

I would ask him if he had a chance to see our dad and sister, and what was it like to see them again.

Perhaps that is one of the thoughts that gives me comfort today, that after all he endured in life he is no longer suffering. Perhaps he has finally met the father he lost when he was only two and a half years old.

Then there was the day he met the love of my life, my husband. When they met they instantly connected. My brother loved my husband so much and frankly it was a relief to me that he approved of him without any issues.

He would tell Phillip that even though they were not brothers, he considered him his true brother and Phillip lived up to that brotherly standard.

Phillip played a significant role in my brother's cancer journey; he became known as the chef in our home and when I needed to take him for medical appointments, Phillip stayed behind to take care of our son.

For that I will always be grateful.

My brother's cancer journey began in the middle of October of 2025 when he was diagnosed with Angiosarcoma; a very rare and aggressive cancer that can spread very rapidly.

Before his diagnosis he had spent more than a year seeking medical evaluations here in Uganda for the different pains he was experiencing.

Sadly he was not getting the correct diagnosis, he was told that his pain was likely related to strenuous exercises or ulcers and was advised to undergo physiotherapy.

By the time he got the correct diagnosis the cancer had already spread, and was affecting multiple organs.

When this news was shared with us, he cautioned us not to share it with anyone. He believed he was going to get better. He did not want to cause any panic or fear among the family members and the kingdom.

We respected his wishes and of course we believed he was going to beat this.

After he began getting the correct treatment the cancer cells started showering dramatically and he gained energy. Those improvements gave us hope that he was to get better.

Sadly mid July of this year things took a terrible turn.

The cancer had been in his body too long and despite everything that was done his condition became increasingly difficult.

But his faith remained intact.

He never stopped praying and reading the word of God.

I thank my mother for raising us well. When we lost our father she became both our father and mother. She raised us with love and we never lacked what we needed and most importantly she gave us our relationship with God.

I thank the Prime Minister of Tooro for supporting my brother's initiatives. And I know that he had received criticism for having been in the know about his health, but I wish to make it clear that he was not.