London-Based Ugandan Footballer Selected as Next Tooro King.

By Staff Reporter

George Desmond Kamurasi, a 36-year-old Ugandan footballer based in London, has been selected to succeed his late cousin, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, as the next Omukama (king) of the Tooro Kingdom.

Kamurasi, who captains and plays as a goalkeeper for ninth-tier English side SE Dons, was selected by the Tooro Royal Succession Committee following the death of King Oyo on August 27, 2026.

Reports from Uganda indicate that 15 of the 18 committee members present voted in favour of Kamurasi's selection. The decision still requires formal proclamation in accordance with Tooro's traditional succession procedures.

King Oyo, who was 34, died while receiving treatment for cancer in the United States. He became king in 1995 at the age of three following the restoration of Uganda's traditional kingdoms.

Kamurasi comes from the Tooro royal family. He is the grandson of the late King George Rukidi III and the son of Prince George Desmond "Jimmy" Mugenyi.

His selection has attracted attention because of his life in England and his involvement in non-league football. Kamurasi lives in southeast London with his wife and son and has continued to play football while working within the local football community.

Reports indicate that he could face a major decision over whether to leave his life in Britain and take up his responsibilities in Tooro.

The Tooro Kingdom, located in western Uganda, is one of the country's traditional kingdoms.

Although the institution was abolished in 1967, it was restored in 1993 under Uganda's constitutional framework as a cultural institution without political authority.

Kamurasi's formal installation as Omukama is expected to follow the burial of King Oyo and the completion of the kingdom's traditional succession processes.