Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga has confirmed that Omukama Dr. Solomon Gafabusa Rukirabasaija Agutamba Iguru I is unwell and receiving treatment. Byakutaga, however, did not disclose where the King is receiving treatment or the nature of his illness.
“It is true the King is unwell, but he is undergoing treatment. I call upon all the Banyoro and other well-wishers to pray for him at this difficult moment so that he recovers soon,” Byakutaga said. He also appealed to the people of Bunyoro to remain peaceful and united as the King receives treatment, warning against turning his illness into another source of confrontation within the Kingdom.
Byakutaga’s confirmation comes amid growing concern over the King’s health and renewed questions about his whereabouts and ability to carry out his royal duties. The confirmation follows 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 said the Omukama’s condition required specialised care that he believed was 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.
The latest disclosure brings renewed attention to the health of Omukama Iguru, whose condition also became a matter of public concern in 2024. In October that year, 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 medical treatment but did not disclose details of his condition. He was later discharged and returned to the palace.
The 2024 treatment also 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 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. Rucunya and the Babiito 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. Against this backdrop, Byakutaga’s appeal for unity and calm places renewed emphasis on the need to separate the Omukama’s health from the wider political and administrative disagreements within the Kingdom-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
