Written By | Alex Mbamanya
Kamurasi is a prominent goal keeper in Soth London
Search
KABAROLE
The royal clan and the entire Tooro Kingdom fraternity are running out of time to name the successor to the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The Batoro and the rest of Uganda are eagerly awaiting the naming of the new king, which, according to tradition, must take place a day or two before the official nine-day mourning period ends. The new king is required to perform rituals involving the Omuguta (the late king’s body) and other ceremonies prescribed by Tooro Kingdom traditions.
However, by Wednesday afternoon, just 24 hours before the official end of the mourning period, the 21-member royal committee had not yet reached an agreement on whom to name as the new king.
Apparently, sources within the top kingdom leadership are divided among three leading candidates.
While Queen Mother Best Kemigisa is said to remain in favour of the young son of the late King Oyo, who had been announced by the kingdom’s Prime Minister, the Omuhikirwa, as the heir, others are reportedly supporting King Oyo’s stepbrother, Saul Mpuga. They argue that the kingdom needs a more mature king to take charge, unlike the late Oyo, who ascended to the throne at the age of three.
The most interesting part of the succession debate, however, is the emergence of football star and amateur goalkeeper George Desmond Kamurasi as one of the contenders.
Kamurasi, 36, is currently in Uganda to attend the funeral of the late King Oyo, which is expected to take place on Saturday.
He is among the three contenders for the royal crown because he is the grandson of former Tooro King George Rukidi III and belongs to the Babiito royal clan.
The Tooro royal prince, who chose a career in sports unlike many other royal princes, plays for ninth-division side South East London Dons FC, one of the prominent clubs in the UK.
Known as “Big G”, Kamurasi is a towering goalkeeper and captain of the club, which is based in Bexleyheath, southeast London.
Kamurasi has become a key member of the SE Dons squad in the club’s quest to climb the English football pyramid. He recently helped the club achieve a historic qualification for the second round of the FA Cup, where they are scheduled to face Chichester City on Saturday, September 19.
Amid the succession debate, Kamurasi has appealed for patience.
“I appeal to all Ugandans to remain patient and allow the Omusuuga and the committee to perform their duties in accordance with our cultural traditions for enthroning a new Omukama.
“Let us focus entirely on mourning my cousin, His Majesty King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV,” he said in a post on his X account.
King Oyo Nyimba was the world’s youngest serving monarch at the time of his death at the age of 34. He ascended to the Tooro throne at the age of three following the death of his father, then King Omukama Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Rwamuhokya Olimi III, in 1995.
The 21-member royal select committee, which is tasked with confirming the new king, faces the difficult task following a high-level royal meeting in Tooro on Tuesday. The meeting, which was also attended by presidential trustee and Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Henry Tumukunde and other senior government officials, reportedly ended without an agreement.
For now, Tooro awaits. Uganda awaits. Africa awaits. And so does the football fraternity, as all eyes turn to the royal committee for the naming of the next Omukama of Tooro.
