“Best Kemigisa has not been grieving her son, she has been scheming to usurp power in our kingdom,” Mwenda claimed.
Controversial writer and media personality Andrew Mwenda has renewed his attacks on former Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, accusing her of using the death of her son, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, to advance what he describes as a scheme to influence succession in the kingdom.
Mwenda, in a lengthy statement, dismissed calls for restraint towards Kemigisa, arguing that she should not be shielded from criticism on the grounds that she is mourning the death of the former Tooro king.
He alleged that Kemigisa’s actions since Oyo’s death have been driven more by a desire to retain influence and power in the kingdom than by grief over the loss of her son.
“Best Kemigisa has not been grieving her son, she has been scheming to usurp power in our kingdom,” Mwenda claimed.
He challenged Kemigisa to provide evidence of the existence of a purported son of the late king, whom he said has been presented as a possible successor to the Tooro throne.
Mwenda questioned why the alleged child had not been publicly introduced or mentioned during Oyo’s funeral proceedings if he indeed existed.
“If he left a son, can she produce the son or at least a photo of him?” he asked.
Mwenda also referred to a baptism celebration hosted by Kemigisa for her grandson, the child of her daughter Princess Ruth Komuntale, on September 9, 2025.
He claimed that during the event, Kemigisa publicly said she had one grandchild and encouraged Oyo to find a queen and have another grandchild.
Mwenda said the remarks contradicted subsequent claims about Oyo having a three-year-old son, which he alleges emerged after the king’s death.
He cited a Daily Monitor report published on September 11, 2025, about the baptism ceremony as evidence supporting his argument.
The controversy comes amid a bitter dispute over who should succeed Oyo, who died on August 26, 2026, after reigning over Tooro for more than three decades.
Following his death, rival positions have emerged within the royal family and the Babiito, the royal clan, over the succession process.
On Thursday evening, Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma was announced by the Babiito succession/selection committee as the successor to the late king, but the announcement has since been challenged by sections of the royal family, including Princess Ruth Komuntale.
Mwenda also accused Kemigisa of interfering with arrangements surrounding Oyo’s funeral.
He alleged that the former Queen Mother initially refused to release the king’s body from Karuziika Palace for the church service, forcing the army to intervene.
He further claimed that there was a prolonged disagreement at the royal burial grounds that delayed the burial by more than two hours.
According to Mwenda, the incidents demonstrated what he described as Kemigisa’s disregard for Tooro customs and cultural institutions.
He rejected appeals for the public to remain silent because Kemigisa was grieving, arguing that her actions should instead be subjected to public scrutiny.
“Her primary grief was loss of power. That is what matters most to her,” Mwenda claimed.
He accused the former Queen Mother of manipulating public opinion by portraying herself as a grieving mother in order to gain sympathy and advance her position in the succession dispute.
Mwenda further accused Kemigisa of having repeatedly disregarded the authority of the Babiito and Tooro’s cultural traditions, arguing that years of tolerance had emboldened her.
“Batooro have been very accommodating, tolerant, respectful and forgiving of her many transgressions over the years,” he said, adding that this had allegedly given her room to “walk over the Royal clan” and exercise what he called impunity.
The succession dispute has continued to divide members of the Tooro royal family and cultural establishment, with competing claims and interpretations of the kingdom’s customs emerging following Oyo’s death.
The developments have placed renewed focus on the role of the Babiito clan in determining the next Omukama and the authority of the various royal actors involved in the process.
