UPDF denies withdrawing Tooro royal guards

What the report says

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces has denied reports that it removed the Tooro Royal Guards from Karuziika Palace or placed members of the royal family under house arrest. In a statement cited by Nile Post, army spokesperson Col. Chris Magezi said the military presence around the palace had been increased for security reasons, not because of any action tied to the kingdom’s internal affairs.

The clarification followed accusations from Queen Mother Best Kemigisa that movement at the palace had been restricted and that traditional guards had been replaced by a heavy UPDF deployment. The army rejected that account, saying access to the palace was being monitored and that additional checks were in place because of the large number of people expected for the burial of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

According to the report, the burial is scheduled for Saturday, 12 September, in Fort Portal, as the kingdom mourns the late monarch who died in the United States last month. The article also notes that succession tensions remain unresolved, with different groups advancing competing positions on who should follow King Oyo. Some royal family members have pointed to a written will said to name his young son, while another clan announcement naming a different successor was rejected by the family.

The UPDF said it was not involved in the succession dispute and described its role as support for security, mourners, and work at the royal tombs and nearby roads.