Shakira Shakiraa defends her gym friendship with late King Oyo amid backlash

What the report says

Ugandan musician Shakira Shakiraa has pushed back against online criticism over remarks she made about her connection to the late Omukama of Tooro, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, according to Sqoop Uganda. The story says she spoke after the monarch’s death and described him as someone she knew from the gym, while also saying she had become acquainted with the Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa.

Shakira said the relationship began in a routine way when a gym machine she was using stopped working and King Oyo stepped in to help. She said that brief exchange led to repeated greetings and then a friendship formed through their regular fitness sessions. She also said her comments were meant to describe a casual personal memory rather than suggest a deeper or more formal bond.

The publisher reported that her public reflection drew skepticism on social media, with some users questioning how close the friendship really was and others accusing her of trying to gain attention from the king’s death. Shakira rejected those claims and said she was not motivated by trends or publicity. The episode highlights how public figures in Uganda can face intense scrutiny online when speaking about prominent deaths, especially where personal connections are involved. Sqoop Uganda presented her remarks as part of a broader mourning period following the king’s passing.