By Swift Reporter
Former intelligence chief Gen David Sejusa has stirred debate in Tooro after calling for traditional spiritual cleansing of Queen Mother Best Kemigisa following the death of her son, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
Sejusa argues that the deaths of two Tooro kings closely connected to Kemigisa should not be viewed solely as a succession issue or a series of unfortunate events, but also examined through the traditional spiritual beliefs of the kingdom.
Kemigisa has now buried both her husband, King Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, and her son, King Oyo, within a period of just over three decades.
Writing about the situation in Tooro, Sejusa said the kingdom was dealing with what he described as something beyond the ordinary death of a monarch.
“The situation in Tooro is not the ordinary misfortune of a passing King, which happens all the time on Earth,” Sejusa wrote.
He pointed to what he called a “shadow of death” hanging over the royal court, noting that Kemigisa had lost both her husband and son while they were still relatively young.
According to Sejusa, ancient Batembuzi-Chwezi traditions regarded such circumstances as a form of “spiritual pollution” that called for purification rituals before another ruler could safely assume the throne.
He referred to the traditional account of Nyinamwiru, the mother of Omuchwezi Ndahura, saying she underwent cleansing before her son took up royal authority.
“In this case of Tooro, when a queen buries both her husband-king and son-king, Traditional African cosmology provides us with specific spiritual protocols known as purification rites,” Sejusa said.
He argued that such rituals would be aimed at removing what traditional beliefs might regard as a bad omen from the royal court and protecting the next monarch.
The call comes at a sensitive moment for the Tooro Kingdom, which is already grappling with questions over who will succeed King Oyo.
King Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III died on August 26, 1995, at the age of 49. His death came only a few years after Uganda restored its traditional kingdoms.
His death resulted in the accession of his three-year-old son, Oyo, who became king on September 12, 1995, making him one of the youngest monarchs in the world.
King Oyo remained on the throne for almost 31 years before his death in the United States on August 27, 2026, at the age of 34. He had been receiving treatment for cancer.
The timing of his death has added another striking detail to the royal family’s history: Oyo died just one day after the 31st anniversary of his father’s death.
Beyond mourning, the kingdom is now facing an important succession process.
Tooro Kingdom Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki initially said King Oyo had left a prince who would be presented in accordance with Tooro tradition. The claim, however, was later met with uncertainty from leaders of the Babiito royal clan, who said they were not aware of a biological son of the late king.
As the royal clan weighs the succession question, Sejusa’s remarks have introduced another dimension to the debate, bringing traditional spiritual beliefs back into conversations about the future of the Tooro monarchy.
His proposal for the Queen Mother to undergo cleansing is likely to attract further discussion over the role of ancient customs and spiritual traditions in the modern-day administration and succession of traditional kingdoms.
For Tooro, the challenge now extends beyond choosing its next king. The kingdom must also navigate a deeply emotional royal transition while reconciling tradition, family history and the expectations surrounding the institution of the monarchy.
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