Afrobeats sensation Tems has opened up about her repeated refusal to perform in Uganda over the last five years. During an online session with fans, the artist explained that her reluctance stems from a traumatic 2020 incident where she was arrested and detained in the country.

She described the circumstances of the incident as unexpected and deeply unsettling, an experience that has left a lasting emotional mark on her career.

Tems and fellow Nigerian artist Omah Lay were arrested on 13th December 2020, following a concert in the capital, Kampala.

Authorities claimed that the event breached the COVID-19 public-health restrictions that were in place at the time. The artists were accused of “negligently doing acts likely to spread an infectious disease.”

Both artists spent two nights remanded at Kigo Prison, the charges were later dropped on 15th December 2020.

The performers consistently maintained that they had only agreed to play the concert after receiving firm assurances that the local organisers had secured all the necessary permits and government approvals.

The situation escalated dramatically when Tems and her team were picked up from their hotel and transported to Kigo Prison. Tems has since described the ordeal as frightening and deeply confusing.

In past interviews, she recalled breaking down emotionally when she was handed a prison uniform, struggling to comprehend how a fully approved show could suddenly result in a criminal case.

“It was a moment that shook her sense of safety as an international performer.”

It is this specific, painful memory that continues to define her feelings about returning to Uganda.

Tems acknowledged that promoters in Uganda have extended multiple invitations for live concerts since her release. However, she remains understandably cautious.

She stressed that her decision to decline these invitations is rooted in trauma rather than any feeling of resentment towards the country or its people. Tems noted that for her to return to a place tied to such a distressing chapter, she would require both time and significant reassurance.