By Our Reporter
Tereza Kuribakanya Kibwetere, the widow of Joseph Kibwetere, has died at the age of 91. She passed away peacefully on 10 April 2025 at the home of her son, Mr Kenneth Tukashaba, in Kampala.
On 12 April, mourners gathered at Kabumba village, Nyabihoko sub-county in Ntungamo District for her burial. Many spoke of her deep faith, humility, and commitment to her family and the wider community.
Tereza was the wife of Joseph Kibwetere, who led the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God.
The sect gained international attention in March 2000, when more than 700 people died in a fire at its headquarters in Kanungu District. The deaths shocked the country and the world, raising questions about the group’s teachings and leadership.
Tereza was not present at the time of the incident. In the 1990s, her children removed her from the group’s base in Kanungu. She spent her later years away from public life but occasionally gave interviews.
She said that she believed her husband had died before the fire and that the followers who died had made their choice in pursuit of what they saw as salvation.
She also spoke about how she had once tried to bring attention to the group’s activities. However, after her removal, she lived quietly and focused on her family.
At the funeral, those who had known her described her as a disciplined and prayerful woman. She was remembered for her quiet strength, her commitment to her Christian faith, and the way she remained active and mentally strong even into her nineties.
Tereza Kibwetere’s death brings an end to a life linked, through marriage, to one of the darkest events in Uganda’s history. But for those who knew her personally, she will be remembered for her peaceful nature, strong beliefs, and the care she showed to those around her.
