Omukama wa Tooro omuggya, Edward Rukidi Nyabongo II oluvannyuma lw'okukola emikolo egimufuula Omukama omujjuvu. Ebisingawo lindirira mu mawulire #Ageesigika
For so many well meaning Ugandans who have been sympathizing with our former Queen Mother (QM), Best Kemigisa, here is more food for thought. This morning she refused the body of King Oyo to leave the palace. Government had to use the army to get the body to church.
As I post this tweet, she has refused to release the body for burial at the royal tombs. Under our customs, a king is supposed to be buried not later than 3pm. It is now almost 5pm and the mourners and all officials at the burial are stuck. The only way they can get the body of the king and bury it is for the state to send in the army and forcefully grab the body from her. The optics would be terrible.
For more than 30 years, Batooro have put up with the greed, intrigues and intransigence of this lady. For 30 years we have witnessed the desecration of our most sacred traditions. For 30 years we have seen kingdom land taken and sold by her and all the money pocketed by her. For 30 years batooro have sustained this vicious assault on our kingdom in silence because we are a peaceful people who avoid controversy and confrontation.
Best Kemigisa is pushing us over the edge. In 1998 she chased my grandmother, Kezia Byanjeru, 93 years (former queen mother), from the palace, used ruffians who lifted her forcefully and dumped her onto a pickup truck, broke her hip and she died two months later. Queen Kezia was the mother of King Patrick Olimi Kaboyo III and therefore mother in law to Best Kemigisa. We suffered this humiliation in suppressed silence.
In 1999, she ordered the cold blooded murder of Prince Kijanangoma, elder brother to the new king. The investigation found that she was the architect of this heinous crime. At the time, the state protected her from criminal prosecution because she was a queen mother rising a seven year old king. Sending her to jail for life or death would have harmed the kingdom. I fully supported this decision as well reasoned and wise. John Katuramu was prosecuted and sentenced to death for this crime to which he was only an accomplice, according to the investigation.
A few days ago, she tried to get her grand nephew and hoist him onto our throne contrary to established custom. She forged a will of the late Oyo. She has lied, intrigued, vilified and manipulated the kingdom. And we kept silent. We are kind, tolerant and patient but we are not stupid or cowards. There is a limit to how much we can tolerate. Kemigisa cannot continue with these machinations and get away with them. Not anymore! PERIOD!
His only crime is saying he didnβt know a thing about the son they are talking about after the death of the Omukama.
This man drove Best Kemigisa from Nsambya after Oyo was born. Stood with them after the death of Olimi. Has stood with Oyo all through.
But he is now badπ.
Final send-off for King Oyo.
He inspired so many people through his words and actions.
Gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.
Rest well King Oyoπhttps://t.co/k2AI42Ekxo