Toro Queen Mother, Komuntale move to reclaim control of King Oyo Memorial Foundation

A dispute over the management of the proposed King Oyo Memorial Foundation has emerged as Princess Ruth Komuntale came out to accuse unnamed individuals of attempting to hijack the initiative for personal gain.

Komuntale, the sister of the late Tooro king Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, declared Saturday evening that the foundation remains under the exclusive control of her immediate family and close friends serving on its board.

Her intervention followed weeks of social media activity by some of Oyo's cousins, who have shared updates about meetings, preparations and items earmarked for preservation under the proposed foundation.

The posts appear to have prompted the Queen Mother's family to publicly assert its authority over the initiative, which was first announced by Best Kemigisa following her son's death.

In a strongly worded statement, Komuntale warned that no official launch date had been announced and accused unnamed individuals of spreading false information about the foundation's management.

“On behalf of the family of my brother, King Oyo, we wish to make it absolutely clear that no official launch date has been released or shared for the King Oyo Memorial Foundation,” she said.

“Anyone claiming to be in charge of the launch or management of the Memorial Foundation is running a hoax and distributing false information for personal gain. The foundation is exclusively managed by our immediate family and close friends who serve on the board.”

Komuntale did not identify the individuals she accused of attempting to take control of the initiative.

However, her statement comes after several weeks in which members of Oyo's extended family have publicly discussed efforts to establish the foundation and preserve the late monarch's belongings.

Cousins including Tom R Mujungu and Ron Kawamara have shared updates about the upcoming launch of the foundation.

She also sought to clarify the origins of the foundation, insisting that the proposal came from her mother, Best Kemigisa.

“The concept of the King Oyo Memorial Foundation was initially introduced in my mother's (the Queen Mother's) statement,” she said.

“It is deeply unfortunate that self-seeking individuals are attempting to hijack this idea simply to keep the spotlight on themselves.”

The princess said official information would be communicated through verified channels once the family had agreed on a launch date.

“When the launch date is officially set in stone, this platform will be among the first verified channels where you will see the information,” she said.

She thanked supporters for remaining vigilant.

It is also unclear whether the recent meetings and public updates by the cousins were conducted with the knowledge or approval of the foundation's board.

Queen Mother had announced ambitious memorial projects

The King Oyo Memorial Foundation was first publicly outlined by Queen Mother Best Kemigisa in a statement of appreciation following her son's burial.

Kemigisa said she and Komuntale had committed themselves to protecting and building Oyo's legacy.

The Queen Mother announced that President Yoweri Museveni had agreed to serve as patron and founding chairman of the foundation.

She also outlined several projects intended to preserve Oyo's memory while supporting communities.

One of them is the King Oyo Tooro Museum, which would house the late monarch's personal belongings and important objects from his life and reign.

Kemigisa said the family had carefully preserved these possessions for a permanent collection.

She explained that the museum would document Oyo's journey from a three-year-old monarch to an adult king while preserving Tooro's wider history and culture.

Another proposed project is the King Oyo International Stadium.

Oyo donated approximately 50 acres of land to the government during his lifetime for the development of a stadium.

The family wants the facility completed to support young athletes and host sporting competitions.

The foundation also plans to pursue the King Oyo Research and Teaching Hospital, with dedicated cancer and HIV research centres.

A fourth project is the King Oyo Model Farm at Bugaaki, where the family intends to expand the late monarch's existing farm into a centre for agricultural education and innovation.

“These projects are not simply monuments bearing King Oyo's name. They are his legacy put to work for the people,” Kemigisa said.

King Oyo died in the United States on August 27, 2026, aged 34, following a battle with angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer.