The succession of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom has taken an unexpected turn, putting two royal cousins with remarkably different careers at the centre of the story.
One is a London-based footballer who captains a lower-league side and coaches children. The other is a Ugandan journalist and television news anchor who has spent years in broadcasting.
Both men belong to the Tooro royal family, and both have been linked to the succession following the death of King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV on August 27, 2026.
George Desmond Kamurasi, 36, emerged as the first choice of the royal succession committee, after Oyo’s death. The committee reportedly voted 15-3 in his favour among the 18 members present. However, Kamurasi did not proceed with the role, with reports citing his established life and family commitments in Britain. The committee subsequently selected Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a UBC journalist, as the new monarch.
Kijanangoma’s selection was announced on Wednesday, September 9, but it immediately triggered another layer of uncertainty. Members of Oyo’s immediate family rejected the decision, arguing that the late king’s 2022 will named his biological son as heir if the child was legally recognised.
The dispute has therefore left the Tooro succession unsettled, even as Kijanangoma has emerged as the royal clan’s choice.
Edward Kijanangoma: From the newsroom to the palace
Kijanangoma’s career before the succession announcement was far removed from traditional royalty.
He worked as a journalist, news anchor and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, Uganda’s state broadcaster. His professional background gave him a familiar face among Ugandan television audiences and earned him a reputation as a composed broadcaster. The Associated Press described him as a down-to-earth news anchor and editor.
Kijanangoma also has experience outside Uganda. Reports from Rwanda identify him as Eddie David Nkurukenzire, the name he used while working for Rwanda’s state media. His broadcasting career therefore spans more than one East African country.
His royal background, meanwhile, runs deep. Kijanangoma belongs to the Babiito royal family and is a cousin of the late King Oyo.
But his appointment has not gone unchallenged. Oyo’s sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, publicly rejected the selection, saying the late king’s will clearly identified his son as the heir.
“My brother, he left behind a will which stated very very clearly that the next person in line is his son, that’s the heir to the throne,” Komuntale said.
Reuters has reported that the will, dated September 14, 2022, states that if Oyo died leaving a son lawfully recognised as his biological son, that child would be his heir. The identity of the alleged son has not been publicly disclosed.
That leaves Kijanangoma’s selection facing a potentially significant challenge as the kingdom prepares to bury Oyo.
George Kamurasi: The footballer who was first choice
Kamurasi’s path to the Tooro succession is considerably less conventional.
The 36-year-old lives in London, where he has established himself in grassroots football. He is a goalkeeper and captain of SE Dons, a lower-tier English football club based in southeast London.
At 6ft 6in, Kamurasi is a commanding presence in goal. His profile extends beyond playing. He has worked as a primary-school football coach and has become known for passionate team talks and an assertive leadership style. He has also appeared on the football programme Soccer AM.
His football career has given him a very different public identity from Kijanangoma’s polished television persona.
Kamurasi is known within SE Dons as “Big G”, and footage of his motivational speeches has circulated widely online. His style is direct, energetic and sometimes profane — a world away from the formal traditions associated with a Ugandan royal court.
His personal journey has also attracted attention. Reports have described a difficult adolescence, including the death of his mother when he was 14 and a period in which he got into trouble and served time in Britain. Football subsequently became a route towards rebuilding his life, eventually taking him into coaching and leadership.
Kamurasi is married and has a son, with the family settled in London. That became important when the royal succession committee selected him.
Reports said he was reluctant to abandon the life he had established in Britain and take on the responsibilities of leading the Tooro Kingdom.
There has also been some disagreement over exactly why he did not proceed. While some reports characterised the development as Kamurasi declining the throne, accounts linked to the succession process suggested he wanted time to consult his family before making a decision.
Either way, the committee eventually moved to another candidate.
The Tooro Kingdom now faces a succession dispute that goes beyond the two men. Kijanangoma has been selected by the royal clan, while Oyo’s family maintains that the late king’s son should inherit under the terms of his will.
That means the story of the footballer and the journalist may only be the beginning of a much larger debate over who has the legitimate right to occupy the Tooro throne.
