QUEEN MOTHER: I AM UNDER ARREST: Best Kemigisha Tells Reporters Karuziika Has Been Taken Over, Sparking Fresh Alarm Inside The Royal Establishment. Land Forces Commander Gen Kayanja Muhanga Seen Directing Troops As Soldiers Tighten Control

Tension has escalated at the heart of Tooro Kingdom after a fresh deployment of combat Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers around Karuziika Palace in Fort Portal, with Lieutenant General Kayanja Muhanga, the Commander of Land Forces, reportedly taking charge of security operations at the royal residence.

The development came as preparations intensified for the burial of the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on Saturday, September 12, amid an increasingly bitter dispute over the administration of the kingdom and the succession to the throne.

The Investigatorhas established that about four platoons of combative soldiers have been deployed at strategic points around the palace, with entrances and access routes placed under heightened security.

Sources at Karuziika said Gen Muhanga the elder brother to controversial veteran journalist Andrew Mwenda was seen at the palace directing troops and coordinating security arrangements.

“Soldiers are everywhere. We can see Gen Muhanga issuing instructions and his tent has tactfully been erected,” a source at the palace said.

The source said the presence of the Land Forces commander had significantly changed the security situation at Karuziika, with soldiers now controlling access to parts of the palace compound.

The deployment followed an earlier complaint by Queen Mother Best Kemigisha, who told journalists that the palace had effectively been taken over and that she was under what she described as forced house arrest.

The Queen Mother’s remarks immediately triggered concern among sections of Tooro’s cultural establishment, particularly because they came at a time when the kingdom is preparing to lay King Oyo to rest.

However, the UPDF subsequently rejected the suggestion that the army had seized control of the palace.

In its explanation, the military said its personnel had been called in to provide security during the funeral arrangements and were operating within their mandate.

Despite the clarification, developments at Karuziika later in the day suggested that the security presence had further increased.

A further contingent of troops was reportedly deployed to the palace, while Gen Muhanga brandishing a pistol and a binoculus was seen supervising the operation.

The competing accounts have created uncertainty over who is currently exercising operational control over the palace, which has become the centre of intense political and cultural attention following the death of King Oyo.

Palace Under Watch

The heightened security comes against the backdrop of a succession dispute that has exposed deep divisions among Tooro cultural leaders.

The dispute intensified after Andrew Mwenda announced that a Royal Succession Committee had selected Prince George Desmond Kamurasi as the next Omukama.

The announcement was immediately disputed by Omusuuga Charles Kamurasi Akiiki, who said he was not aware of such a decision and questioned the circumstances under which the alleged selection had been made.

The disagreement has since drawn in senior government officials, cultural leaders and members of the royal family.

Vice-President Jessica Alupo has previously held meetings with key Tooro figures in an attempt to calm tensions, while Lt Gen (Rtd) Henry Tumukunde was reportedly sent to Fort Portal to help harmonise the competing sides.

The latest deployment of Gen Muhanga to Karuziika therefore comes at a particularly sensitive moment.

The army’s presence has also raised questions among some kingdom elders about the extent to which the security forces should be involved in internal cultural affairs.

One elder, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldiers’ presence was creating anxiety among members of the royal establishment.

“This is the king’s palace. We understand the need for security during the burial, but elders are asking why the military presence has become so heavy,” the elder said.

Another source said the situation had become more restrictive as the burial date approached.

“People are being watched closely. Access is no longer as it used to be,” the source said.

Viewing Ends

The security measures are expected to become even tighter after the conclusion of public viewing of King Oyo’s body.

The late king’s body has attracted thousands of mourners since it was returned to Uganda and transported to Tooro.

Mourners from across the kingdom and beyond have been travelling to pay their final respects.

However, with public viewing expected to close on Friday afternoon, access to Karuziika Palace is expected to be restricted to selected officials and Very Very Important Persons (VVIPs).

Sources said the palace would thereafter operate under a much more controlled security arrangement ahead of the king’s burial.

King Oyo will be buried on September 12 at the Karambi Royal Tombs following a national prayer service at St John’s Cathedral in Fort Portal.

The burial date is particularly significant because it also marks the 31st anniversary of his coronation.

Queen Mother’s Concerns

The Queen Mother’s complaint has added another layer to the already complicated dispute.

Her claim that she was effectively under forced house arrest has generated considerable debate within Tooro, with some cultural leaders questioning whether the royal household is being adequately consulted on decisions affecting the palace.

The military, however, maintains that its deployment is intended to guarantee security.

The difference between the two accounts has left many Batooro wondering whether the army’s role is simply to provide security for the funeral or whether its presence represents a broader intervention in the affairs of the kingdom.

The question is particularly sensitive because of the ongoing disagreement over the succession.

King Oyo died aged 34 after battling cancer and receiving treatment abroad, with the Government having supported aspects of his treatment.

President Yoweri Museveni subsequently directed that Uganda observe three days of national mourning in honour of the late monarch. The king’s death has nevertheless been followed by an extraordinary succession crisis.

The controversy surrounding the identity of the next Omukama has brought long-standing disagreements among members of the royal family and kingdom leadership into the open.

The burial is now expected to provide a temporary focus for the kingdom as cultural leaders attempt to ensure that the king receives a dignified final farewell.

But the heavy security presence at Karuziika has raised fresh questions about what happens after the burial.

After Oyo

For many Batooro, the immediate priority remains giving King Oyo a peaceful and dignified burial.

But once the funeral ceremonies end, attention is expected to return to the unresolved questions surrounding the kingdom’s leadership, the authority of its cultural institutions and the process through which a successor should be identified.

The presence of Gen Muhanga and the expanded military deployment at Karuziika have therefore become another flashpoint in an already tense environment.

As the final hours of public mourning tick away, the palace remains heavily guarded, while competing accounts continue to emerge about who is exercising authority within its walls.

For now, the UPDF insists that its troops are there for security. But inside and outside Karuziika, the question being asked is whether the deployment is merely a temporary funeral security operation or a sign of a much deeper intervention in Tooro’s unfolding succession crisis.

With public viewing due to end Friday afternoon and the burial scheduled for Saturday, all eyes are now on Karuziika Palace.

And the events unfolding there could have consequences long after King Oyo has been laid to rest.