As Tooro King subjects continue to mourn the passing of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV, his passing has sparked discussions about the future of the kingdom and the line of succession.
While the kingdom’s customs favour a clear line of succession, with the heir to the king virtually assured of becoming the next reigning monarch, the death of King Oyo also raises questions about the roles of other royal family members, particularly the Queen Mother.
According to traditional beliefs, the Queen Mother’s position is closely tied to the king’s reign. Since he was installed as a monarch in 1995, King Oyo’s leadership and raise has been largely guided by his mother, Queen Best Kemigisa.
Because of his age, Kemigisa, by then a young mother at 28 years became one of the regents of King Oyo in 1995 and played a central role until Oyo came of age in 2010. Kemigisa, has been that woman behind King Oyo’s crown, but that journey has come to an end.
David Baguma, a prominent ritualist, explained that once a king passes away, the Queen Mother’s role in the kingdom also ends, and she returns to her own palace. He says the fact that Oyo didn’t have a wife/queen, the queen mother, became her most immediate helper and therefore she had been part and parcel of the kingdom. Baguma says when a new monarch is announced, depending on age, he will rule with his wife or mother.
However, the wife or mother might decide to also invite her sister(s) to come and live with her and these might help on chores in the palace.
Rev. Clovis Kyalimpa, a cultural expert, says the death of a king in Tooro, is like a coup on the reigning queen, because on the day of the king’s burial, known as Kitabaza, the Queen Mother’s status is formally concluded.
She is expected to step back from royal duties and serve only as a counsellor if called upon, marking a significant transition in her role in the kingdom.
In Tooro Kingdom, when a king dies, his heir (son) has an almost certain assurance that he will be the next reigning monarch. A reigning king rules, together with a wife (Queen), the head of Babiito clan (Musuga), a sister (Princess Royal), brother (Prince) and he may decide to add a ritualist.
Because of his age at the time of enthronement, Oyo has also had other key women figures that have supported her throw his reign until the time of death. These include Princess (Batebe) Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, a title she attained in 1996, a few months after her brother wore the crown. She has been seen as a confidant of her brother.
And then Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, one of he then regents and paternal aunt to late King Oyo, who to many was the “glue” holding the royal family together during difficult moments of Oyo’s reign-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
