Tems Reveals She Won’t Return To Uganda Following 2020 Arrest

Nigerian singer Tems has finally addressed why she has no plans to return to Uganda, revisiting the experience that left her deeply shaken.

During a Q&A session on social media, a fan asked: “What’s the lore behind you not coming to Uganda? #AskTems.”
Tems responded without saying a word — instead, she posted her old court photo from Uganda, the same image used in news reports during her arrest, with the headline: “Nigerian singer Tems appearing before court in Uganda.”

Her reply immediately reminded fans of the 2020 incident in Kampala, where she and Omah Lay were arrested after performing at a concert during the COVID-19 restrictions. The duo were accused of violating public health guidelines and were taken into custody.

Tems later spent two nights in a Ugandan prison, an experience she once described as frightening and traumatic. That ordeal, she hinted with the photo, is the reason she has stayed away from the country ever since.