UPDF Has Not Withdrawn Tooro Royal Guards – Col Magezi

What the report says

SoftPower News reports that the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) rejected claims that it had withdrawn Tooro royal guards from Karuziika Palace in western Uganda. In a Friday statement, UPDF Acting Director of Defence Public Information Col Chris Magezi said the army had instead reinforced its presence, contradicting accounts that royal family members and other residents were under lockdown or house arrest.

The report centers on a security-related dispute around the Tooro royal palace and the role of the guards there. According to the source, the military’s message was meant to clarify that its deployment had not been reduced and that the claims circulating about a withdrawal were inaccurate. The piece does not provide independent confirmation of the situation on the ground, but it frames the UPDF response as a direct denial of the allegations.

The development matters because the Tooro Kingdom is one of Uganda’s cultural institutions, and any military involvement at the palace can raise concerns about access, movement and tensions between authorities and the monarchy. As background, royal guards in Uganda typically serve ceremonial and protective roles around traditional palaces, while broader security decisions are handled by state forces. SoftPower News attributes the statement to Col Magezi and says the clarification came amid public concern over the palace situation.