The Queen Mother of Tooro, Best Kemigisa, is not under house arrest, state minister for Internal Affairs Juma Witonze Kiseka has said.
Kiseka said the security deployment around the royal palace was a standard measure intended to ensure the safety of mourners and members of the royal family during the mourning period for the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
His remarks follow claims by Kemigisa that she and members of her family had been placed under house arrest shortly after Babiito royal clan elders announced Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the new king of Tooro.
Kemigisa, together with her daughter, Princess Ruth Komuntale Nsemere, and her aunties, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya and Princess Margaret Komubaizi, publicly rejected Kijanangoma’s selection, arguing that the late Oyo had left a will outlining the succession process and providing for his son to become the next king.
Kemigisa subsequently appealed to President Museveni and the leadership of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to intervene and restore what she described as her family’s freedom during the mourning period.
Kiseka, however, dismissed the house-arrest claims, saying the security presence around the palace should not be interpreted as a restriction on the royal family.
He urged Tooro subjects to remain calm and await guidance from President Yoweri Museveni, while calling for the succession process to be handled with dignity and respect for the kingdom’s customs.
Kiseka also warned against actions or statements that could trigger disorder or deepen divisions within the kingdom. Brig Ronnie Balya, Uganda’s ambassador to South Sudan, similarly called on the people of Tooro to exercise patience and maintain unity as the kingdom mourns its late king.
Balya urged Tooro subjects to avoid discussions that could further divide the kingdom, saying unresolved issues surrounding the succession should be addressed through the proper channels.
The calls for calm and unity come amid growing disagreements over the succession process following the death of King Oyo, who died on August 27 in the United States aged 34 after reigning for more than three decades.