Bunyoro Royal Clan Appeals For Funds To Facilitate Omukama Iguru’s Treatment Abroad

The Babiito ruling clan of the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom has appealed for financial support to facilitate specialised medical treatment abroad for Omukama Dr. Solomon Gafabusa Rukirabasaija Agutamba Iguru I. Fred Mugenyi Rucunya, the Okwir, or Chief Prince of the Babiito. Clan members and elders agreed during a meeting held last Sunday that the Omukama should be taken abroad for specialised medical attention.

Rucunya appealed to Babiito members, government institutions, Kingdom subjects and well-wishers to contribute towards the King’s treatment. He did not disclose how much money would be required for the proposed treatment abroad. Rucunya said efforts to mobilise support for the Omukama’s treatment were being affected by what he described as a lack of recognised leadership in the Kingdom. He claimed that Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom has lacked clear and recognised leadership for about three years, saying the situation had weakened the institution and contributed to divisions among Kingdom subjects.

“Although the Babiito, Kingdom subjects, government institutions and well-wishers are ready and willing to support the treatment of the Omukama abroad, the initiative is being hampered by a lack of recognised leadership in the Kingdom,” Rucunya said. He called for cooperation among clan leaders, government, elders and other stakeholders to resolve the leadership disagreements and restore stability in the Kingdom.

Andrew Byakutaga, the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Prime Minister, has confirmed that Omukama Iguru is unwell and receiving treatment. Byakutaga, however, did not disclose where the King is being treated or the nature of his illness. His confirmation comes amid growing concern about the Omukama’s health and renewed questions about his ability to carry out his royal duties.

Rucunya recently said the King’s condition had deteriorated and called for him to receive specialised treatment outside Uganda. He also appealed to Banyoro and other Ugandans to pray for the Omukama. Rucunya did not disclose the nature of the King’s illness but said the Omukama had been confined to the palace and was unable to fully perform his royal duties.

The latest concerns are not the first time the health of Omukama Iguru has attracted public attention. In October 2024, the King was airlifted to Kampala in a military aircraft and admitted to Ruby Hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated. Kingdom officials confirmed at the time that he was receiving 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, seeking specialised medical treatment for the Omukama. On October 3, 2024, Hoima High Court Judge Jesse Byaruhanga ordered that the Omukama be taken to India or another hospital with the necessary facilities for specialised treatment.

The court held that the King 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 over the Omukama’s health come against the backdrop of a long-running leadership dispute within the Kingdom. Rucunya and sections of the Babiito have recently demanded that Byakutaga vacate the office of Prime Minister, arguing that his tenure has 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 lacked authority to extend his term. Byakutaga was appointed Prime Minister by Omukama Iguru in January 2018 and has continued to occupy the position amid the dispute.

The disagreement has also raised questions about who should oversee the affairs of the Kingdom if 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 amid 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. Against this background, calls for financial support for the Omukama’s treatment have added another dimension to the Kingdom’s ongoing leadership tensions, with stakeholders now facing the challenge of addressing the King’s health concerns while managing the wider administrative disagreements.