Kyabazinga of Busoga
Isebantu Kyabazinga or Kyabazinga of Busoga is the title given to the ruler of the Kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. Isebantu means "father of the people."[1] This name was a symbol of unity derived from the expression and recognition by the people of Busoga that their leader was the "father of all people who brings all of them together", and who also serves as their cultural leader. The current Kyabazinga of Busoga is William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV,[2] born on 9 September 1988 and was coroneted on 13 September 2014. The queen consort to the Kyabazinga is known as Inhebantu.
Origins
Before Europeans came to Busoga, the Basoga organized themselves into 11 hereditary chiefdoms; with five of the leaders tracing their ancestry directly from Bunyoro, and the other six tracing their origins from Buganda. There was no king, although the chiefs often met and discussed issues of common interest. When they met, the chiefs would select a chairperson from among themselves to chair the session. They often met in Bukaleeba in Bunya (modern-day Mayuge District). In 1894, the Colonial administrator, one William Grant, picked and formed a native chief’s council under his chairmanship. Later, Semei Kakungulu, a Muganda, was brought in to make the chief's council conform to colonial rule. In 1905, with his efforts frustrated by internal bickering, he was dismissed. The 11 chiefs were asked to select from among themselves someone to represent their interests at the seat of the colonial government which was based in Bugembe, in modern-day Jinja District. At first the title of the leader of the group was referred to as "Chairman", which later changed to "President". Then the chiefs coined the title to Kyabazinga in 1939.[3]
The eleven Busoga chiefdoms
As of March 2015, the following is the list of the names of the eleven Busoga Chiefs.[4][3]
| Rank | Chieftaincy | Title of Chieftain | Name of Current Chief |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bugabula | The Gabula of Bugabula | William Gabula Nadiope IV - Current Kyabazinga |
| 2 | Bugweri | The Menha of Bugweri | Samuel Nkuutu Menha |
| 3 | Bukholi | The Wakholi of Bukholi | David Kaunhe Wakholi |
| 4 | Bukono | The Nkono of Bukono | Samuel Kamaga Nkono |
| 5 | Bulamogi | The Zibondo of Bulamogi | Edward Colombus Wambuzi |
| 6 | Bunhole | The Nanhumba of Bunhole | John Ntale Nanhumba |
| 7 | Bunya | The Luba of Bunya | Haji Juma Luba Munuulo |
| 8 | Busiki | The Kisiki of Busiki | Yekoniya Isiko Kisiki |
| 9 | Butembe | The Ntembe of Butembe | Yasin Ntembe Waguma |
| 10 | Kigulu | The Ngobi of Kigulu | Patrick Izimba Gologolo Ngobi |
| 11 | Luuka | The Tabingwa of Luuka | Wellington Nabwana Tabingwa |
Abolition and restoration
The Kyabazinga of Busoga was abolished in 1967 when Milton Obote, the self-declared President of Uganda at that time, disbanded all traditional institutions within the country. The Kyabazinga was restored with the restoration of traditional institutions in 1993 and Busoga re-coroneted Henry Wako Muloki on 11 February 1995."[1]
Election
The Kyabazingaship in Busoga is an elected post. The Kyabazinga was initially chosen from among the five hereditary chiefs who trace their ancestry directly from Bunyoro-Kitara. Busoga's constitution has been modified to allow all 11 hereditary chiefs to stand for election as Kyabazinga. The post of Kyabazinga is not a lifetime appointment. Each Kyabazinga is elected to serve a specified term and may be recalled anytime if the chiefs who elected him are unhappy with the way he might be conducting business. [5]
List of Kyabazingas of Busoga
| Rank | Name of Kyabazinga | Reign |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezekiel Tenywa Wako[3] | 1939 until 1949 |
| 2 | William Wilberforce Nadiope II | 1949 until 1955 |
| 3 | Henry Wako Muloki[1] | 1955 until 1967 |
| 0 | Interregnum | 1967 until 1995 |
| 3 | Henry Wako Muloki | 1995 until 2008 |
| 0 | Interregnum | 2008 until 2014 |
| 4 | William Gabula Nadiope IV.[6] | 2014 until present |
References
- 1 2 3 Bita, George (14 September 2008). "Life And Times of Wako Muloki". New Vision (Kampala). Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ Ssentamu, Saleh (23 August 2014). "William Gabula IV Elected Kyabazinga". Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- 1 2 3 Imaka, Isaac (2 June 2014). "Busoga’s Search for A Kyabazinga". Daily Monitor (Kampala). Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ Tom Gwebayanga, and Donald Kiirya (26 August 2014). "Gabula: Kyabazinga Ayise Mu Ttanuulu Y’anaagatta Obusoga (Gabula: The Kyabazinga Who Has Gone Through Fire Will Be The One To Unite Busoga)". Bukedde.co.ug (Luganda). Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ↑ Banalya, John (18 September 2014). "On Kyabazinga of Busoga Election". New Vision (Kampala). Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ↑ Kizza, Joseph (13 September 2014). "Museveni Vows To Work With New Kyabazinga". New Vision (Kampala). Retrieved 24 March 2015.