By Eye Media Uganda | Fort Portal | September 5, 2026
The chairman of Tooro’s Royal Succession Committee has distanced himself from journalist Andrew Mwenda’s announcement that George Desmond Kamurasi was selected as the kingdom’s next Omukama.
On September 5, 2026, Musuuga Charles Akiiki Kamurasi said he could not confirm claims that the committee had chosen a successor to the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
“I have nothing to comment on that. Where you got that, I don’t know and therefore I can’t say anything,” Musuuga Kamurasi reportedly said.
His response came after Mwenda announced that the 21-member Royal Succession Committee had selected 36-year-old George Desmond Kamurasi during a meeting at Fort Motel in Fort Portal City.
Mwenda claimed that 18 committee members attended the meeting and 15 voted in favour of Kamurasi.
However, the committee chairman’s refusal to confirm the reported decision has thrown the succession process into further uncertainty.
Mwenda identified George Desmond Kamurasi as a member of the Babiito royal family and son of George Desmond “Jimmy” Mugenyi.
He said the selection was guided by Tooro customs, royal precedents and existing succession arrangements.
Mwenda also claimed that he had discussed the matter with chief government officials.
However, these claims have not been publicly confirmed by government or the recognised authorities of Tooro Kingdom.
The contradiction has raised questions about whether the committee reached a final decision, made a recommendation or was still conducting consultations.
Mwenda reportedly said that, according to Tooro customs, the identity of the next king would only be formally announced after the burial of King Oyo.
This means that even if an internal decision had been reached, it may not have amounted to a formal public proclamation.
King Oyo reportedly died in Texas, United States, on August 26, 2026, after occupying the Tooro throne for more than three decades.
His death opened debate over the succession, particularly after President Museveni indicated that the late monarch had left an heir whose identity had not been publicly disclosed by the kingdom.
The latest disagreement has left the Babiito royal clan and the people of Tooro awaiting an authoritative announcement from the recognised traditional institutions.
Until the Royal Succession Committee or another recognised royal authority formally announces a successor, George Desmond Kamurasi’s reported selection remains a claim attributed to Mwenda.
