Andrew Mwenda: George Desmond Kamurasi Selected as Potential Successor to King Oyo

Tooro’s Royal Succession Committee has selected 36-year-old George Desmond Kamurasi as the next Omukama, according to journalist and businessman Andrew Mwenda, setting the stage for a new chapter in the kingdom following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.

Mwenda said the Royal Succession Committee met on Friday, September 4, 2026, at Fort Motel in Fort Portal City and selected Kamurasi to succeed his late cousin.

According to Mwenda, 15 of the 18 committee members who attended the meeting voted in favour of Kamurasi.

The 21-member committee was selected by the Royal Clan of Tooro, the Ababiito, on August 28 and has been holding consultations on the succession of the throne. The committee is chaired by Omusuuga Charles Akiiki Kamurasi.

Who Is George Desmond Kamurasi?

George Desmond Kamurasi is a member of Tooro’s royal family and the son of George Desmond “Jimmy” Mugenyi, the younger brother of the late King Patrick David Mathew Olimi Kaboyo II.

Mwenda said Kamurasi was second in line to succeed his uncle, Olimi Kaboyo II, according to the will of their late grandfather, former Tooro King George Rukidi III.

The 36-year-old has been living in Britain, where he has largely maintained a relatively low public profile compared to his late cousin, King Oyo.

Kamurasi has also recently attracted attention because of his marriage to a white British woman, popularly described as a “Mzungu” wife.

His personal life and long residence in Britain are now likely to attract renewed public interest as he potentially prepares to take over one of Uganda’s oldest traditional institutions.

How Kamurasi Was Chosen

According to Mwenda, the Succession Committee held its meeting from 11 am to 3 pm on Friday, with 18 of its 21 members in attendance.

Of those present, 15 voted for Kamurasi.

Mwenda said he subsequently informed Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and Chairman of the Patriotic League of Uganda, as well as Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the Commander of the Land Forces, about the development.

He said Gen Kainerugaba endorsed the committee’s choice, arguing that it was consistent with Tooro customs, precedents and laws governing succession.

Mwenda further claimed that Gen Kainerugaba told him that President Yoweri Museveni supports the committee’s decision.

According to Mwenda’s post, Museveni sent a team led by a senior Cabinet minister to Fort Portal to consult with key stakeholders over the succession.

Mwenda said the consultations convinced the government team that there was “a wide consensus” around Kamurasi’s selection.

Official Announcement Still Pending

Despite the committee’s decision, Kamurasi has not yet been formally announced to the public as Omukama.

Mwenda said he had spoken to the Omusuuga, who informed him that Tooro custom requires the public announcement of the new King to be made after the burial of the late monarch.

The late King Oyo’s burial is therefore expected to precede the formal public announcement of his successor.

Mwenda said he decided to disclose the committee’s decision ahead of the traditional announcement to prevent speculation and misinformation on social media.

“I have made this announcement to avoid social media speculation that may cause unnecessary confusion,” he said.

A New Chapter for Tooro

If formally installed, Kamurasi will inherit the Tooro throne following the death of King Oyo, who ruled the kingdom for almost three decades after ascending to the throne as a three-year-old in 1995.

Oyo died abroad at the age of 34, triggering a succession process among the Ababiito.

The selection of Kamurasi now brings that process closer to its conclusion, although the traditional and formal stages of his installation are yet to be completed.

For Tooro, his potential ascension will mark the beginning of a new reign—one led by a royal who has spent years living abroad and whose personal and professional life has largely unfolded away from the public spotlight in Uganda.

For now, the kingdom awaits the burial of King Oyo before the new King can be formally presented to the Ababiito and the people of Tooro.