George Desmond Kamurasi, aged 36, has reportedly been selected as the next King of Tooro following a meeting of the kingdom’s Royal Succession Committee in Fort Portal City. The announcement was made by journalist Andrew Mwenda, although the final public declaration is expected to follow the customs of the Babiito royal clan.
According to Mwenda, the 21-member Royal Succession Committee met on Friday, September 4, 2026, and settled on Kamurasi as the person to succeed the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. The reported decision now places Kamurasi at the centre of Tooro’s royal succession process.
The committee is understood to have been established by members of the Babiito royal clan to handle the succession process following the death of King Oyo. The process is being closely followed by people in Tooro because the selection of a new monarch is an important cultural and historical moment for the kingdom.
Mwenda reported that 18 of the 21 committee members attended the latest meeting. Of those who were present, 15 reportedly voted in favour of Kamurasi, giving him a clear majority among the members who participated in the vote.
The meeting reportedly took place at Fort Motel in Fort Portal City and lasted several hours. The committee has reportedly been holding consultations as it considers the royal lineage, customs and established traditions that guide the selection of a new Tooro monarch.
Kamurasi is a member of the Babiito royal family, the traditional ruling clan of Tooro Kingdom. His background within the royal family is one of the reasons his name has emerged prominently during the succession discussions following the death of King Oyo.
He is reportedly the son of George Desmond “Jimmy” Mugenyi, who was a younger brother of Patrick David Mathew Olimi Kaboyo II. The family connection places Kamurasi within an established royal lineage and gives his selection a strong historical connection to the Tooro throne.
The report further states that Kamurasi was regarded as second in line to his brother Olimi Kaboyo II under the will of their late father, King George Rukidi III. These family and succession links have therefore become an important part of the explanation surrounding his selection by the committee.
The reported choice comes after the death of King Oyo, whose passing created the need for the Babiito clan to begin the process of identifying his successor. The succession process has attracted significant attention because Tooro’s monarchy remains an important cultural institution in western Uganda.
Mwenda also reported that he had communicated the development to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, and Gen Kayanja Muhanga, the Commander of the Land Forces. According to the report, both senior military figures were informed about the committee’s decision.
The report further claims that Gen Muhoozi endorsed the committee’s choice of Kamurasi. His reported support was described as being based on the view that the selection is consistent with Tooro’s customs, previous succession practices and laws governing the kingdom.
Another significant claim in the report is that President Yoweri Museveni supports the decision reached by the Royal Succession Committee. Mwenda said that Museveni had sent a team led by a senior cabinet minister to Fort Portal during the succession discussions.
The reported involvement of national political and government leaders has added another dimension to the succession story. However, the actual formal process remains connected to the Babiito clan and the traditional authorities responsible for announcing the new monarch.
According to Mwenda, the committee reached its decision after consultations with what he described as key stakeholders in the kingdom. The consultations reportedly convinced the members that there was broad support for Kamurasi to become the next king.
Despite the reported committee decision, Kamurasi’s selection has not yet been presented as the final public installation of a new monarch. The next major step is expected to come from the Omusuuga, who is responsible for formally communicating the succession decision to the Babiito clan leaders.
The Omusuuga reportedly explained that Tooro custom requires the public announcement of the new king to take place after the burial of the late monarch. This means that although the committee has reportedly selected Kamurasi, the formal announcement will follow the traditional process.
Mwenda said he decided to make the information public because of concerns that social media speculation could create unnecessary confusion about the succession. By revealing the committee’s reported decision, he sought to provide clarity about the direction of the process while waiting for the traditional announcement.
Kamurasi’s reported selection now sets the stage for the next chapter in Tooro’s royal history. If formally confirmed by the Babiito clan through the established traditional process, he would take over the throne following the reign of his late cousin, King Oyo.
The succession process is expected to remain under close public attention as Tooro prepares for the burial of King Oyo and the subsequent formal announcement. For now, the Royal Succession Committee has reportedly chosen George Desmond Kamurasi, while the Babiito clan and the Omusuuga remain central to the final traditional steps before the new monarch is officially announced.
