Uganda: Government Dismisses Claims Tooro Queen Mother Is Under House Arrest
[Nile Post] Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media that Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisha has been placed under house arrest amid growing tensions and divisions within the kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
Government has dismissed reports circulating on social media that Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisha has been placed under house arrest amid growing tensions and divisions within the kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
In an exclusive live broadcast with NBS TV, State Minister for Internal Affairs Juma Waneze said the allegations were baseless and urged the public to exercise restraint and respect the royal family as preparations continue for the burial of the late king.
"The rumours circulating on social media are not true. The deployment around the palace arose from anticipated speculations of chaos yesterday," Waneze said.
He added that the presence of international media organisations in the area had heightened attention on the kingdom's events.
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"All international media have camped here to telecast the send-off, and I urge all Ugandans to desist from negative reporting," he said.
The minister's remarks followed a statement attributed to Queen Mother Best Kemigisha in which she alleged that security forces had surrounded the palace and restricted the movement of members of the royal family and access by visitors.
In a statement dated September 10, 2026, Kemigisha reportedly said the royal family was unable to move or receive visitors freely.
"We cannot leave or receive people freely. We are under house arrest," Kemigisha said.
She appealed to Maj Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the leadership of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) and President Museveni to allow the royal family to mourn and bury King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV peacefully.
Kemigisha also alleged that Muhanga had visited the palace three days before the king's burial and removed the royal guards without prior notice.
She further claimed that troops subsequently deployed around the palace and that the Omusuuga, the head of the Babiito royal clan, was taken to an undisclosed location.
The government has not confirmed those allegations and has instead attributed the security deployment around the palace to concerns over possible disturbances.
The conflicting accounts come amid tensions and disagreements over the future leadership of the Tooro Kingdom following the death of King Oyo.
King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV died in the United States on August 26, 2026.
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His remains are expected to be laid to rest at the Karambi Royal Tombs along the Kasese-Fort Portal road on Saturday, as the kingdom prepares for the final burial rites.
The burial has attracted significant national and international attention, with security agencies and other stakeholders involved in preparations for the ceremony.
The government has called for calm and urged members of the public to avoid spreading unverified information as the royal family and the kingdom prepare to bid farewell to the late king.