An amateur goalkeeper for the London-based football club South East Dons may soon become a king in Uganda. George Desmond Kamurasi, the team's captain, is a leading candidate to succeed the late King Oyo of Tooro, who died last week in the United States at age 34 after battling cancer. Kamurasi, 36, is a direct descendant of the Babiito clan and a cousin to the late monarch.

The club, founded in 2014 by British rapper Andrew 'Don Strapzy' Mc Hugh, has gained attention for reaching the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. They are scheduled to play Chichester City on Saturday, September 19. Kamurasi has not commented publicly on the succession reports but took to social media to urge patience.

In a post on X, he appealed to Ugandans to allow the Omusuuga and the committee to perform their duties according to cultural traditions for enthroning a new Omukama. He asked for focus on mourning his cousin, King Oyo, who ascended the throne at age three, making him the world's youngest reigning monarch.

The Tooro Kingdom, located in western Uganda, holds significant cultural influence despite having no political power. The Royal Select Committee will now create a shortlist of candidates, including relatives, to choose the next king. Traditionally, the new monarch is escorted to the royal burial grounds and participates in a ceremony involving throwing nine coffee beans into the grave.

Kamurasi's potential transition from football to royalty would be unprecedented, but no one in the kingdom's history has ever refused the throne. If he accepts, he would leave his London life behind, a stark contrast to his current role as a goalkeeper.