Queen Best Kemigisa Akiiki (born 1967) is the

Queen Mother A queen mother is a former queen, often a queen dowager, who is the mother of the monarch, reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since the early 1560s. It arises in hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarchies in Europe and is also u ...

of the Tooro Kingdom, based in

Fort Portal Fort Portal or Kabarole is a city located in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the seat of both Kabarole District and historically of the Toro Kingdom. Location Fort Portal in Kabarole District is located approximately by road, west of Kampa ...

city,

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The sou ...

. She is mother to Rukirabasaija Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Amooti Rukidi IV, the reigning Omukama of Tooro.

Early life

She is the daughter of Prince (Omubiito) Mujungu, of the Batuku clan, of Rwebisengo in Present day

Ntoroko Ntoroko is a town officially known as Kanara Town Council in Ntoroko District Western Uganda. It is one of the four town councils of Ntoroko District the others being Karugutu, Rwebisengo and Kibuku Town Council. Ntoroko is the largest fishing ...

district. At the time of her birth, Ntoroko was a county of Kabarole district before curving it around 1974 into

Bundibugyo Bundibugyo is a town in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Bundibugyo District and the district headquarters are located there. Location Bundibugyo is located approximately , by road, west of Fort Portal, the nearest ...

district alongside Bwamba County. She was educated at Kahinju Primary School, Mpanga Senior Secondary School and Kyebambe Girls School, all in

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 education, entertain and empower people so that they are able to live their best lives.

Queen Mother

Queen 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

Queen Best took part in the controversial Kings and Sultans of Africa Forum set up by the then

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

n 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. Queen 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.

References

External links

Official website of Queen of Tooro

Official website of Tooro Kingdom
Living people 1967 births Ugandan traditional rulers and monarchs African queen mothers {{Uganda-bio-stub