George Kamurasi, a goalkeeper for non-league side SE Dons in London, has been selected as the next king of the Tooro people in Uganda.
The 36-year-old, who plays in the ninth tier of English football, is set to succeed his late cousin, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, who died aged 34 while undergoing cancer treatment.
Kamurasi was selected by a committee to take over the throne, placing him at the centre of a transition in the Tooro Kingdom.
Known as “Big G”, Kamurasi is a British citizen and currently serves as captain of SE Dons, which competes in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division in southeast London.
He is known at the club for his enthusiastic and authoritative personality, with videos showing him delivering intense team talks to his teammates.
Despite his selection as the next monarch, Kamurasi is reportedly hesitant about leaving London, where he lives with his wife and son, to take up his royal responsibilities in Uganda.
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His selection has generated mixed reactions in Uganda, with some people welcoming his straightforward personality while others question whether someone raised in the United Kingdom can adequately represent the Tooro people.
The funeral of King Oyo, who ascended the throne at the age of three in 1995, is scheduled to take place this weekend.
Kamurasi comes from a distinguished royal lineage. His grandfather, King George Rukidi III, famously welcomed the late Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Uganda in 1954.
Kamurasi could, however, miss his late cousin’s funeral because of a scheduling conflict with a cup match involving SE Dons.
The club competes in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, which is at Level 9 of the English football pyramid.
Kamurasi now faces a major decision between continuing his life and football career in London and returning to Uganda to assume his responsibilities as a member of the Tooro royal family.
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