Tooro Crown Prince David Kiijanangoma Battles Stage 3 Throat Cancer, Appeals for Shs500M for Treatment

Fort Portal — Prince David Kiijanangoma Araali, a senior royal figure within the Tooro Kingdom and a grandson of the late monarch George David Kamurasi Rukidi III, is battling stage three throat cancer and has publicly appealed for financial support to enable him travel abroad for specialized medical treatment.

Sources familiar with the situation say the prince, widely known among friends and associates as Prince Kiija, has been quietly undergoing a series of medical examinations and treatment in Kampala over the past months while confronting the illness, which insiders say began affecting him sometime last year.

Information obtained by TheSpy Uganda indicates that members of the royal family have grown increasingly concerned after doctors reportedly confirmed that the disease had progressed, prompting recommendations for urgent advanced medical care outside Uganda.

Medical assessments from several health facilities, including Nakasero Hospital, Kampala Hospital, the Uganda Cancer Institute located at Mulago National Referral Hospital, and Kampala Imaging Center reportedly indicate that the prince is suffering from esophageal cancer, commonly referred to as throat cancer.

Doctors familiar with his case have advised that the prince urgently seeks specialized oncology care abroad due to the advanced stage of the illness and the complexity of the treatment required.

Further radiology analysis carried out by Quest Teleradiology suggests the cancer may have spread beyond the primary site, with possible involvement of nearby lymph nodes and even the lungs, raising fears among family members and medical teams that the disease has entered a more critical phase.

Family sources who spoke on condition of anonymity say doctors have recommended that the prince seeks treatment either in India or at Aga Khan University Hospital, one of the region’s most respected referral facilities for specialized cancer treatment and advanced medical care.

However, financing the treatment has emerged as the most immediate obstacle.

Preliminary medical estimates indicate that about Shs500 million will be required to facilitate treatment abroad, including hospital procedures, international travel, accommodation and other associated medical expenses.

Even as arrangements for referral are being explored, the prince continues to undergo chemotherapy sessions and supportive treatment locally at Nakasero Hospital and Mulago, where medical teams are trying to stabilize his condition while plans for advanced care are finalized.

Speaking to a close confidant, Andrew Irumba Katusabe, the Chief Executive Officer of TheSpy Uganda, Prince Kiijanangoma revealed that the prolonged illness has already depleted most of the financial resources he and his family had set aside.

“I have drained all the little that I had saved together with my family. I believe government, President Museveni and good Samaritans of Uganda can give me a second chance to live,” Kiija told our Spy.

Family members say they are currently working to secure an official referral through Uganda’s medical board, which will determine the most appropriate hospital and treatment plan abroad once the necessary documentation is completed.

News of the prince’s illness has sparked concern among sections of the Tooro community, where he remains a well-known but sometimes controversial royal personality.

Prince Kiijanangoma is the grandson of the late Omukama George David Kamurasi Rukidi III, one of the most influential and respected rulers in the history of Tooro Kingdom.

Over the years, he has been known for expressing strong opinions about the direction and leadership of the kingdom.

In March 2015, he attracted widespread national attention after attempting to challenge the authority of his cousin, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, the reigning king of Tooro Kingdom.

At the time, Kiijanangoma accused the monarch of stepping back from active leadership of the kingdom while living a comfortable life in Kampala, remarks that ignited intense debate among members of the Batooro community.

The move divided opinion within the kingdom. While some critics dismissed the effort as an unnecessary royal dispute, a section of supporters rallied behind the prince and reportedly attempted to establish an alternative royal base for him at one of his grandfather’s former palaces along Bwamba Road in Fort Portal.

Supporters even went as far as organizing what they described as a parallel coronation ceremony, with plans to symbolically install him as an alternative king.

However, the attempt was ultimately halted after security forces intervened and dispersed the gathering.

Following the incident, Kiijanangoma was arrested and briefly detained at Katojo Prison before being released.

Efforts to calm tensions within the kingdom were later reportedly facilitated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni through negotiations spearheaded by former security minister Henry Tumukunde, who was also known to share a personal friendship with the prince.

Although the episode did not result in any formal change in the kingdom’s leadership structure, it further cemented Kiijanangoma’s image as one of the most outspoken princes in the modern history of Tooro Kingdom.

Today, however, the prince’s attention has shifted from royal disagreements to a deeply personal struggle for survival.

Family members have now appealed to well-wishers, members of the Tooro community, friends of the kingdom and government officials to offer support during what they describe as the most difficult moment in the prince’s life.

Those willing to support his treatment can send contributions through the following channels:

Equity Bank (Joint Account)
David Kiija & Winnie Mbabazi
Account Number: 1025103417374

Mobile Money:
+256 700 266535
+256 770 87276

As the prince continues receiving treatment locally and awaits possible referral abroad, many within the Tooro community say the moment calls for solidarity, compassion and collective support for one of their own.

More details are expected to emerge as the situation develops.