Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga has confirmed that Omukama Dr. Solomon Gafabusa Rukirabasaija Agutamba Iguru I is unwell and receiving treatment. Byakutaga made the announcement amid growing concern over the King's health and renewed questions about his whereabouts and ability to carry out his royal duties. The Prime Minister called upon all Banyoro and other well-wishers to pray for the King's speedy recovery. He also appealed for calm and unity among the people of Bunyoro, warning against turning the King's illness into another source of confrontation within the Kingdom.
The confirmation comes after remarks by Fred Mugenyi Rucunya, the Okwir or Chief Prince of the Babiito ruling clan, who recently said the King's health was deteriorating and called for him to be taken abroad for specialised medical treatment. Rucunya believed that the Omukama's condition required specialised care available outside Uganda. He also appealed to Banyoro and other Ugandans to pray for the King. The Okwir did not disclose the nature of the illness but said the King had been confined to the palace and was unable to fully perform his royal duties.
This is not the first time the King's health has become a matter of public concern. In October 2024, Omukama Iguru was airlifted to Kampala in a military aircraft and admitted to Ruby Hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated. Kingdom officials confirmed that he was receiving medical treatment but did not disclose details of his condition. He was later discharged and returned to the palace. The 2024 treatment followed a court case filed by Prince Apollo Kisoro, a former Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Minister for Tourism and Assistant to the King.
The court case led to a ruling by Hoima High Court Judge Jesse Byaruhanga on October 3, 2024, ordering that the King be taken to India or another hospital with the necessary facilities for specialised treatment. The court said the Omukama was entitled to his right to health and directed that he be taken for medical examination and further management whenever he was found to be sick. The renewed concerns about the King's health come at a particularly sensitive time for the Kingdom, which is facing a long-running dispute over its administration.
The dispute involves Rucunya and the Babiito, who have recently demanded that Byakutaga vacate the office of Prime Minister, arguing that his tenure expired. The Babiito have given Byakutaga until mid-October 2026 to leave office. Rucunya disputes the extension of Byakutaga's tenure by the Royal Commission in June 2024, arguing that the commission did not have the authority to extend the Prime Minister's term. Byakutaga, who was appointed Prime Minister by Omukama Iguru in January 2018, has continued to occupy the office amid the dispute.
The disagreement has also raised a broader question about who should oversee the affairs of the Kingdom when the Omukama is unable to perform his duties. Rucunya has argued that, in such circumstances, authority to manage the Kingdom rests with him as Okwir and head of the Babiito ruling clan. That position is disputed as part of the wider disagreement over the Kingdom's administrative structures and the legitimacy of Byakutaga's continued tenure.
The leadership dispute has intensified in recent weeks, with security personnel deployed at the Kingdom headquarters in Hoima amid reports of planned demonstrations and concerns about possible confrontation. The situation remains uncertain, with the King's health and the Kingdom's administration hanging in the balance. The people of Bunyoro and other stakeholders are eagerly awaiting a resolution to the crisis.
Key points
- The King's health has become a matter of public concern multiple times, with previous instances in 2024 requiring medical treatment in Kampala and potentially abroad.
- A dispute over the Kingdom's administration has intensified, with the Babiito clan demanding that Prime Minister Byakutaga vacate his office and questioning his legitimacy.
- The situation has led to increased security presence at the Kingdom headquarters in Hoima, amid concerns about possible confrontation and demonstrations.
