Tooro in turmoil: Queen Mother defies elders as royal succession war erupts

15 September 2026, 6:37 pm

By Frank Oyugi

FORT PORTAL / LIRA CITY — A bitter power struggle has erupted within the Tooro Kingdom following the passing of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. The dispute pits Queen Mother Best Kemigisa and the royal family against Babiito clan elders and state security apparatus over the legitimacy of the succession process.

The conflict intensified after the 21-member Babiito Royal Succession Committee, led by Omusuuga (head of the royal clan) Charles Kamurasi, bypassed a reported royal will and declared Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as the king-elect.

The Battle of the Will vs. Customary Selection

The central fracture point revolves around the late King’s reported 2022 testament. Royal family representatives and Queen Mother Kemigisa maintain that Omukama Oyo left behind a written will directing that his lawfully recognized biological son succeed him to the throne.

However, Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi and the majority of the succession committee have rejected the premise of an unnamed infant heir. Moving swiftly, the clan elders nominated Prince Edward Kijanangoma—a former news anchor for the state broadcaster who previously mounted a royal challenge in 2015—arguing that customary clan authority supersedes private testaments during royal transitions.

Princess Ruth Nsemere Komuntale expressed deep distress over the timing of the dispute, stating that it is deeply unfortunate that confusion and turmoil are being introduced before her brother is even laid to rest, preventing the family from mourning in peace.

Allegations of “House Arrest” and Security Intervention

Adding a sharp political and security dimension to the royal crisis, Queen Mother Kemigisa issued a formal statement raising alarms over the security situation at the Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal.

Kemigisa alleged that customary royal guards were disarmed and forcibly removed from the palace grounds on the orders of military commanders, replaced by heavily armed personnel. The Queen Mother stated that key family members were effectively placed under restricted movement, limiting access for traditional mourners and royal kin ahead of the final interment at the Karambi Royal Tombs.

In response to the escalation, Kemigisa directly petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the military leadership to intervene, call off the clan elders, and permit a dignified burial before any succession debates are formalized. As preparations conclude for the state-assisted funeral, the kingdom remains in a precarious deadlock between custom, royal testament, and state authority.