TOORO SUCCESSION CRISIS DEEPENS: Mwenda Accuses Queen Mother of Scheming, AG Backs Late King’s Will

Kampala, Uganda – The succession dispute following the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has escalated into a fierce public battle, pitting the late King’s will and the Ugandan government against traditional royal customs and the King’s immediate family.

At the heart of the controversy is the Attorney General’s recent advice to President Yoweri Museveni. According to reports, Attorney General Sam Mayanja has advised the President to follow the 2022 will of the late King, who tragically died of cancer on August 27, 2026. The AG’s legal stance cites Uganda’s constitution, cultural laws, and Batooro customs, noting that the will should be upheld unless a court decides otherwise.

However, the late King’s wishes have clashed violently with the decisions of Tooro’s clan elders. The elders have selected the late King’s adult cousin, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, as the next Omukama. This decision is being fiercely contested by the King’s family, led by Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and Princess Ruth Komuntale. The family insists on the ascension of the late King’s unnamed biological son, with Prince Komwiswa Yoweri proposed as an alternative. Justice Minister Norbert Mao has weighed in, noting that the throne remains officially vacant until a formal gazetting occurs.

The Public Battle: Accusations of Fraud and Hypocrisy

As the legal and traditional battle lines are drawn, prominent figures have taken to social media to voice their opinions, resulting in heated exchanges.

Prominent government critic and commentator Andrew M. Mwenda launched a scathing attack on the Queen Mother, accusing her of using her period of mourning to “desecrate our cultural heritage.” In a detailed post, Mwenda dismissed calls to give the Queen Mother time to grieve, alleging she has been actively scheming to usurp power.

Mwenda questioned the existence of the late King’s purported biological son, stating, “Which grieving mother would be calling and lying to the president of the country? It is now more than two weeks since Oyo died. If he left a son, can she produce the son or at least a photo of him?” He pointed to a September 2025 Daily Monitor story regarding a baptism party hosted by Kemigisa, where she allegedly stated she had only one grandchild and asked the King to find a queen. Mwenda argues this proves the sudden existence of a 3-year-old heir is a fabrication.

Furthermore, Mwenda accused the Queen Mother of obstructing royal protocols. He alleged that she refused to release the King’s body to the church until the army intervened, and later delayed the royal burial by over two hours, requiring military intervention and a personal plea from President Museveni to resolve. “Don’t falsely accuse Best Kemigisa of grieving,” Mwenda wrote. “Her primary grief was loss of power.”

Mwenda’s comments drew support from some, including Prince Tusiime Gerald A., who stated, “The people of Tooro strongly stand with him.” However, they also sparked fierce backlash. Political commentator Jim Spire Ssentongo accused Mwenda of profound hypocrisy, tweeting, “The biggest hypocritical irony in all this is how Mwenda is the loudest critic against imposing a leader on people (Tooro), while at the same time being a facilitator of a brutal usurpation and abuse of power at a national scale.”

Culture vs. Courts

The legal weight of the late King’s will is also facing stiff cultural resistance. Rev. Clovis Kyalimpa, the former Speaker of the Tooro Kingdom Assembly, stated unequivocally that the courts will not have the final say on the matter.

“Even if the courts of law uphold King Oyo’s last will, culture will nullify it,” Kyalimpa stated in an interview with UBC Uganda.

Amidst the turmoil, Tooro Kingdom officials are attempting to project unity regarding the Queen Mother’s welfare. Musuuga Charles Kamurasi released a statement affirming that the kingdom will care for her. “Best Kemigisa is our parent and the mother of the late Omukama Oyo. It is our responsibility to take care of her and I assure you that as Tooro Kingdom, we shall stand by her and ensure she is cared for,” Kamurasi said.

Despite these assurances, public sentiment remains deeply divided and volatile, with social media users hurling insults at kingdom officials. As the nation watches, the fate of the Tooro throne now rests on a precarious balance between the rule of law, the strictures of tradition, and the explosive allegations of political manipulation.