Best Kemigisa

Best Kemigisa Akiiki
Queen Mother of Tooro
Queen consort of Tooro Kingdom
Tenure10 January 1987 – 26 August 1995
Born (1967-04-22) 22 April 1967 (age 59)
Rwebisengo, Tooro Kingdom, Uganda
SpouseOmukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Rwamuhokya Olimi III (died 1995)
Issue
Names
Best Kemigisa Akiiki
HouseBiito-boyo (by marriage)
FatherPrince Mujungu
ReligionAnglican

Best Kemigisa Akiiki (born 22 April 1967) was the Queen Mother (Omujwera Nyina Omukama) of Tooro Kingdom, based in Fort Portal city, Uganda. She is the mother to Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Amooti Rukidi IV, who was the Omukama of Tooro from 1995 until his death in 2026.

Early life

She is the daughter of Prince (Omubiito) Mujungu, of the Batuku Tribe, of Rwebisengo in Present day Ntoroko district. At the time of her birth, Ntoroko was a county of Kabarole district before curving it around 1974 into Bundibugyo district alongside Bwamba County. She was educated at Kahinju Primary School, Mpanga Senior Secondary School and Kyebambe Girls School, all in Fort Portal city, Tooro Kingdom. She is the Founder and Patron of the Tooro Women's Development Association and a co-founder of the African Queens and Women Cultural Leaders Network. Queen Best Kemigisa is a passionate about issues that affect girls and women in Africa. She organises Hakyooto events in various parts of Africa to educate, entertain and empower people so that they are able to live their best lives.

Queen Mother

Best Akiiki was widowed on 3 August 1995 when King Patrick Olimi Kaboyo II died suddenly. She was one of the guardians of her son, the new King and one of a team of regents who helped rule Tooro until he reached his majority in 2010.

Her daughter, Omubiitokati (Princess) Ruth Nsemere Komuntale, was married to African-American businessman Christopher Thomas, but they have since divorced.

Controversies

Best took part in the controversial Kings and Sultans of Africa Forum set up by the then Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.

She allegedly evicted 60-year-old John Businge from disputed land with the support of armed members of the King's security force.

Best brought charges of fraud against a man accused of stealing around $60,000 US from her, money supposed to be used to register her Toro Women's Organisation with the United Nations. Moses Kyeyune was convicted in May 2013 and sentenced to five years in prison.

She was also involved in a legal fight with a lawyer, Bob Kasango who she claimed had defrauded her of a large sum of money.

Her son, Rukidi IV, died on 27 August 2026. Subsequently, both Best Kemigisa and her daughter Ruth Komuntale rejected the selection of Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma as Rukidi IV's successor, citing a purported 2022 will in which Rukidi IV reportedly named a biological son as his heir. The Babiito royal clan, however, maintained that the succession should be determined according to Tooro's customs and traditions.

References

  1. ↑ "Tooro Kingdom: A Sneak Peek". UGPulse. Retrieved 11 March 2010.
  2. ↑ "Who was Patrick Olimi Kaboyo?". www.newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  3. ↑ "Queen Best Kemigisa".
  4. ↑ Nakaweesi, Dorothy (27 August 2013). "Uganda to host African queens". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa grilled over grabbing kingdom". mobile.monitor.co.ug. Archived from the original on 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  6. ↑ "How Tooro Kingdom was run by a young king".
  7. ↑ "Batooro give mixed reactions to Komuntale's marriage breakup". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  8. ↑ "Toro Celebrates Princess Komuntale Wedding". Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "Hail the Asantehene". Modern Ghana.
  10. ↑ "Tooro Queen Mother Evicts Family".
  11. ↑ Odeng, Michael. "Toro Queen sh1.4b fraud case postponed".
  12. ↑ "Man Imprisoned for Conning Toro Queen Mother Best Kemigyisha". Uganda News.[permanent dead link]
  13. ↑ "Court orders lawyer Kasango to pay Tooro queen mother 3b". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  14. ↑ Mureithi, Carlos (10 September 2026). "Secret son revelation ignites bitter succession dispute in Ugandan kingdom". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Mbabazi, Joan (10 September 2026). "Rwanda: Uganda - Tooro Kingdom Elders Pick Media Personality As Next Monarch Amid Disputes". The New Times. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Muhumuza, Rodney (9 September 2026). "A journalist is named king of a Ugandan monarchy that just lost its onetime 'boy king'". AP News. Retrieved 19 September 2026.
  17. ↑ URN (10 September 2026). "Tooro Queen Mother denounces King-elect Kijanangoma". The Observer Media Ltd. Retrieved 16 September 2026.