George Desmond Kamurasi: London-based goalkeeper emerging as proposed new king in Uganda
By Joel Masibo, September 8, 2026George Desmond Kamurasi, goalkeeper of non-league side SE Dons in South London, has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next Omukama of Tooro following a decisive vote by the kingdom’s Royal Succession Committee.
Kamurasi received 15 of the 18 votes cast by committee members who attended a meeting in Fort Portal on Friday, September 4, 2026, placing him in line to succeed his late cousin, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
His accession is expected to be formally confirmed after the burial of King Oyo, in keeping with Tooro’s traditional succession procedures.
The development has brought renewed focus to the Babiito royal family branch from which Kamurasi originates, as the kingdom prepares for a new chapter following the death of one of Uganda’s longest-serving traditional rulers.
A descendant of Tooro’s royal house
Kamurasi was born in Uganda on August 28, 1990, but spent much of his formative and adult years in England, where he pursued his education and later established his career and family.
He is the son of George Desmond Mugenyi, popularly known as Jimmy, who was a member of the Babiito royal household and the younger brother of former Tooro monarch Olimi Kaboyo.
Through his father, Kamurasi was a first cousin of the late King Oyo.
His royal credentials also extend to the previous generation. He is a grandson of King George Kamurasi Rukidi III, further linking him to a family line that has played an important role in the history of Tooro’s monarchy.
The succession link through his father
The circumstances surrounding Kamurasi’s father have added another layer of significance to his emergence as the preferred successor.
Historical accounts of the royal succession indicate that Mugenyi was named in the will of his father, King George Rukidi III, as the second person in line to succeed his elder brother, King Olimi Kaboyo.
Although Mugenyi ultimately did not occupy the throne, the reference in the royal document established a clear connection between his family branch and Tooro’s succession arrangements.
That history has now become relevant as Kamurasi prepares to potentially assume the position once held by his cousin.
His father’s role in King Oyo’s early reign
Mugenyi was born in 1947 at Kabarole Hospital in Fort Portal to King George Kamurasi Rukidi III and Omugo Kezia Byanjeru.
He received part of his education in Uganda before relocating to Britain during the period when the country’s traditional kingdoms had been abolished.
Mugenyi later returned to Uganda around 1993, at a time when the restoration of traditional institutions was approaching.
His involvement in Tooro’s royal affairs became especially important following the death of King Olimi Kaboyo in 1995.
Oyo, Kaboyo’s son, was only three years old when he succeeded his father. Because of his young age, Mugenyi was appointed to serve as his guardian.
He consequently became an important figure in the administration and guidance of the young monarch during the early years of Oyo’s reign.
King Oyo eventually grew into a prominent traditional leader and remained on the Tooro throne for more than 30 years before his death in 2026.
Years spent outside Uganda
Unlike members of royal families who openly attract attention because of their potential claims to a throne, Kamurasi lived much of his adult life away from Uganda and largely outside the public glare surrounding Tooro’s monarchy.
His years in Britain were devoted primarily to his education, career and family life, while he continued to maintain his links with his Ugandan roots and the Babiito royal family.
His relatively low public profile meant that his emergence from the succession process was unexpected to many people outside the kingdom’s royal circles.
Rather than being known as a figure who had publicly pursued the throne, Kamurasi has come forward from a royal lineage with a long-established connection to Tooro’s monarchy.
His family
Kamurasi is married to Abbey Rooke, who is also known as Abbey Kamurasi. The couple met during his time in the United Kingdom and have one child.
His father, Mugenyi, married Priscillar Mugenyi in 1994. She died in 2004 and left behind four children — three sons and a daughter — including Kamurasi.
Mugenyi died in 2016, 12 years after the death of his wife.
A new chapter for Tooro
Kamurasi’s selection brings together several generations of Tooro’s royal history.
He is the grandson of a former Omukama, the son of a royal figure who was identified in a succession document and later played a key role in the upbringing of the young King Oyo.
He was also the late monarch’s first cousin, making his emergence particularly significant following Oyo’s death.
The Royal Succession Committee’s decision has now placed Kamurasi at the heart of Tooro’s future leadership.
For someone who spent many years living outside Uganda and away from the centre of royal attention, his possible elevation to the throne marks a major change in his public life.
The next significant step will come after King Oyo’s burial, when the traditional process is expected to move toward the formal proclamation of George Desmond Kamurasi as the new Omukama of Tooro.