Queen Mother challenges Tooro succession decision, calls for Oyo’s burial first
Queen Mother Best Kemigisa is challenging the succession process in the Tooro Kingdom following the death of King Oyo. She claims the family is under duress and that the royal succession committee ignored the late King's will.
Why it matters
Succession disputes in traditional kingdoms can lead to significant political instability and social unrest within the region.
The succession dispute in Tooro Kingdom has deepened following the naming of Prince Edward Kijanangoma Rukidi as the new king, with Queen Mother Best Kemigisa challenging the process and appealing for her family to be allowed to mourn the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV in peace.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Kemigisa said the royal family was grieving under what she described as “house arrest”, following the deployment of security personnel around the palace and the removal of royal guards days before King Oyo’s burial slated for September 12, 2026.
She appealed to the leadership of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and President Museveni to allow the family to leave the palace and receive mourners freely.
“Please allow our family the freedom and dignity to mourn and bury King Oyo in peace,” she said.
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