Captain of a London football team became king in Uganda
George Desmond Kamurasi, 36, goalkeeper and captain of the amateur football team Sea-Dons from southeast London, has become the new king of the Toro people in Uganda, The Telegraph reports .
George Kamurasi. Photo: vanguardngr.com
Throughout his career, Kamurasi, who was born and raised in the UK, played for semi-professional and amateur English clubs like Herne Bay, Croydon, and Ashford United. He currently plays for Sea-Dons, which competes in the ninth division of England.
Kamurasi was chosen as the new Omukama — King of Toro — after the death of his cousin, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV. He died on August 27 after treatment for an oncological disease, having ascended to the throne in 1995 when he was just three years old.
The 21-member Royal Succession Committee has already made a decision regarding the new ruler. His election is expected to be officially announced next week.
His new status did not make Kamurasi give up football. He recently helped Sea-Dons make a successful debut in the FA Cup and advance to the second qualifying round, where the team defeated Erith Town 2-0.
The Kingdom of Toro is located in western Uganda and is one of the country's four traditional kingdoms. The position of Omukama today holds predominantly cultural, rather than political, significance.