Tereza Kuribakanya Kibwetere, widow of the late Joseph Kibwetere, passed away earlier this week at the age of 91. She died peacefully at the home of her son, Mr. Kenneth Tukashaba, in Kampala, where she had been receiving medical care for an extended period.
Tereza was the wife of Joseph Kibwetere, the founder and spiritual leader of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God—a religious cult that gained international notoriety in March 2000.
The group, which preached apocalyptic teachings and strict obedience to religious laws, was responsible for one of the worst mass deaths in Uganda’s history. Over 700 followers perished in a horrific fire at the sect’s headquarters in Kanungu District, under mysterious and still-debated circumstances.
Tereza narrowly escaped the tragedy. According to family sources, her children removed her from the sect’s base in the 1990s due to growing concerns about the group’s practices. She later lived a quiet and private life, away from public scrutiny.
Though she rarely spoke to the media, Tereza is reported to have believed her husband had died before the fire. She also maintained that the followers who lost their lives did so by choice, in pursuit of what they believed to be salvation.
Her death closes another chapter in a deeply painful part of Uganda’s history. Burial arrangements are currently underway, with the family requesting privacy as they mourn their loss.
Mental health experts continue to urge the public to learn from the Kanungu tragedy by promoting awareness, empathy, and early intervention in cases of extreme belief systems.
