A British-based non-league goalkeeper, George Kamurasi has been selected as the next king of the Tooro people in Uganda.
Kamurasi, 36, who plays in the ninth tier of the English football pyramid, was chosen by a committee to succeed his late cousin, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV.
King Oyo, 34, died while receiving treatment for cancer, bringing the Tooro Kingdom into a period of transition.
Kamurasi, popularly known as “Big G”, is a British national and currently captains SE Dons in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division in southeast London.
The goalkeeper is known at his club for his passionate and commanding presence, with video footage showing him delivering fiery team talks to his teammates.
Despite his selection as the next ruler, Kamurasi is reportedly reluctant to leave London, where he lives with his wife and son, and return to Uganda to take up the royal position.
His selection has also generated mixed reactions in Uganda, with some people welcoming his “no-nonsense” personality, while others have questioned whether someone raised in the UK can adequately represent the Tooro people.
The funeral of King Oyo, who became king at the age of three in 1995, is scheduled to take place this weekend.
Kamurasi comes from a prominent royal family. His grandfather, King George Rukidi III, welcomed the late Queen Elizabeth during her 1954 visit to Uganda.
Adding another unusual twist to the story, Kamurasi could miss the late king’s funeral because it clashes with a cup fixture involving his football club.
SE Dons compete in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, which sits at Level 9 of the English football pyramid.
Kamurasi now faces a major decision between continuing his life and football career in London and accepting his family’s royal responsibility in Uganda.
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