London Non-League Goalkeeper Kamurasi chosen as King in an Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom
South London goalkeeper George Kamurasi is facing an extraordinary career change after being selected to succeed his late cousin as ruler of Uganda’s historic Tooro Kingdom.
George Desmond Kamurasi, captain and goalkeeper of south-east London non-league side SE Dons, is set for an extraordinary change of career after being selected as the next king of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom.
The development was reported by The Telegraph, with Kamurasi chosen by the kingdom’s royal succession committee following the death of his cousin, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
The 36-year-old, known to teammates as “Big G”, was selected on September 4 after 15 of the 18 committee members present reportedly backed his candidacy.
His selection has placed him at the centre of a succession process that follows the death of King Oyo, who passed away in August aged 34 after a battle with cancer.
Oyo became monarch in 1995 at just three years old and remained the symbolic head of Tooro for more than three decades.
Kamurasi comes from the Babiito royal family and had already been identified in his grandfather’s will as a potential successor, giving his selection a strong connection to the kingdom’s royal lineage.
However, his elevation is not yet completely formalised, with traditional procedures still to be completed before he is officially proclaimed.
The development has also created an unusual dilemma for Kamurasi, who has built his life and football career in London and is reportedly reluctant to abandon his role with SE Dons.
The club recently reached the second qualifying round of the FA Cup after defeating Erith Town 2-0, meaning Kamurasi’s football commitments have continued even as his royal future takes shape.
Tooro is one of Uganda’s four traditional kingdoms and, since its restoration in 1993, operates as a cultural institution without political authority. The succession therefore represents a major ceremonial responsibility rather than a move into government.
With King Oyo’s burial scheduled for September 12, attention will now turn to the formal confirmation of Kamurasi and whether the London-based goalkeeper is prepared to exchange his gloves and football boots for the responsibilities of the Tooro throne.
