Busoga (
Lusoga
Soga, or Lusoga, is a Bantu language spoken by the Soga people of the Busoga region in Eastern Uganda. With over three million speakers, it is one of the major languages of Uganda, after English, Swahili, and Luganda. However, it is largely re ...
: Obwakyabazinga bwa Busoga) is a kingdom and one of four constitutional monarchies in present-day
Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa
East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
. The kingdom is a
cultural institution
A cultural institution or cultural organization is an organization within a culture/subculture that works for the Preservation (library and archive), preservation or promotion of culture. The term is especially used of public and charitable organiz ...
which promotes popular participation and unity among the people of the region through development programs to improve their standard of living. Busoga strives for a united people who have economic, social and cultural prosperity and assists the
Kyabazinga
The Kyabazinga of Busoga is the ruler of the Kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. ''Isebantu'' means "father of the people." This name was a symbol of unity derived from the expression and recognition by the people of Busoga that their leader was the "fat ...
.
Busoga means "Land of the Soga", and is the
kingdom
Kingdom commonly refers to:
* A monarchy ruled by a king or queen
* Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy
Kingdom may also refer to:
Arts and media Television
* ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
of the 11
principalities
A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under ...
of the Basoga or Soga (singular ''Musoga'') people. Its capital is
Bugembe
Bugembe is a town in Jinja District in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the seat of the Kingdom of Busoga, one of the four constitutional in Uganda, which is coterminous with the Busoga sub-region.
Location
Bugembe is located approximately ...
, near
Jinja (Uganda's second-largest city, after
Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
). Busoga comprises ten
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
:
Kamuli
Kamuli is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial centre of Kamuli District, and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.
Location
Kamuli is app ...
,
Iganga
Iganga is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Iganga District.
Location
Iganga is located in Uganda's Busoga sub-region. It lies approximately , by road, northeast of the ...
,
Bugiri
Bugiri is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the chief town of Bugiri District, and the district headquarters are located there. The town was elevated to Municipal Council status in 2019.
Location
Bugiri is located approximately , ...
,
Mayuge,
Jinja,
Luuka
Luuka Town, also known as Luuka Municipality, but often referred to simply as Luuka, is a town in Eastern Uganda. Prior to 1 July 2010, Luuka Town was known as "Kiyunga". It is the principal political, administrative and commercial center of Luu ...
, and the new districts of
Bugweri
Bugweri (sometimes called Bugweri Bufutulu) is one of the six traditional chiefdoms of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda.
It was founded around 1726 and became a part of the British protectorate in Busoga in 1896. Its ruler is known as the Menya.
...
,
Buyende
Buyende is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial centre of Buyende District.
Location
Buyende is approximately , by road, north of Jinja, the largest city in the Busoga sub-region. This ...
,
Kaliro
Kaliro is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Kaliro District and the site of the district headquarters.
Location
Kaliro is approximately north of Iganga, the nearest large ...
and
Bugweri
Bugweri (sometimes called Bugweri Bufutulu) is one of the six traditional chiefdoms of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda.
It was founded around 1726 and became a part of the British protectorate in Busoga in 1896. Its ruler is known as the Menya.
...
. Each district is headed by an elected chairperson or a Local Council Five, and
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
are headed by an elected
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
. Jinja is the industrial and economic hub of Busoga. Busoga is bordered on the north by shallow
Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga (literally 'the place of bathing' in Runyoro language) is a large shallow lake in Uganda, about in area and at an elevation of 1,033 metres. The Victoria Nile flows through the lake on its way from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. The mai ...
(separating it from
Lango), on the west by the
Victoria Nile
The White Nile ( ar, النيل الأبيض ') is a river in Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the other being the Blue Nile. The name comes from the clay sediment carried in the water that changes the water to a pale color. ...
(separating it from
Buganda
Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Buganda's Districts of Uganda, Central Region, inclu ...
), on the south by
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...
(separating it from
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
and
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
) and on the east by the Mpologoma River (separating it from smaller tribal groups such as the
Adhola
The Adhola people, also known as Jopadhola, are a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples that live in Tororo District of Eastern Uganda and comprise about eight percent of the country's total population. They speak Dhopadhola, (a Luo language), ...
, Bugwere and Bugisu). It also includes several islands in Lake Victoria, such as
Buvuma Island Buvuma Island (sometimes 'Uvuma', locally ) is the largest island in the Buvuma Islands chain, in Lake Victoria in Africa.
Location
The chain of islands known as Buvuma Islands consists of more than fifty islands and is located a few kilometres of ...
.
The Kyabazinga
Busoga is ruled by the Isebantu Kyabazinga, who is currently William
Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV, the Gabula of
Bugabula Bugabula is one of the five traditional principalities of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. It is located in the Kamuli District
Kamuli District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Kamuli is the site of the district headqu ...
, and grandson to Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope, former vice president and also Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom. In 1995, the government restored monarchies in Uganda in Article 246(1) of the constitution of Uganda. On 11 February 1996,
Henry Wako Muloki
Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki OBE (February 18, 1921 – September 1, 2008) was a Ugandan Kyabazinga of Busoga, the title given to the ruler of the Kingdom of Busoga, a traditional kingdom within Uganda. Muloki first became Kyabazinga of Busoga in ...
was reinstated as Kyabazinga Isebantu of Busoga. He served until 1 September 2008, when he died of esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. Other symptoms may include pain when swallowing, a hoarse voice ...
at the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala
Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
at age 87.[ In a condolence message, Ugandan president ]Yoweri Museveni
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. Museveni spearheaded rebellions with aid of then ...
described Muloki as "a great cultural leader and father" who was "generous and kind". Museveni noted that since his re-installation, Muloki was a unifying factor in Busoga: "The Government has had the privilege of working with Isebantu Muloki in developing our nation". Referring to the Kyabazinga as "a strong pillar", the president said that although Busoga was one of the youngest kingdoms, under Muloki's leadership it had become strong: "Uganda mourns not only one of her esteemed traditional leaders but a national who put development and the welfare of the people of Busoga at the helm of his reign". Muloki's achievements included programs for youth, the elderly, and the poor and the education of girls. Although the Royal Chiefs of Busoga at first elected Edward Columbus Wambuzi, Muloki's son, as Kyabazinga of Busoga, the election was contested due to lack of quorum (at least eight chiefs) and thus electing later Gabula Nadiope IV with ten out of eleven chiefs and was crowned on 13 September 2014.
History
Early contact with European explorers
Busoga's written history began in 1862. On 28 July Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...
explorer John Hanning Speke
Captain John Hanning Speke (4 May 1827 – 15 September 1864) was an English explorer and officer in the Indian Army (1895–1947), British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa. He is most associated with the search ...
arrived at Ripon Falls Ripon Falls at the northern end of Lake Victoria in Uganda was formerly considered the source of the river Nile. In 1862–3 John Hanning Speke was the first European to follow the course of the Nile downstream after discovering the falls that his i ...
(near Jinja, where the Victoria Nile
The White Nile ( ar, النيل الأبيض ') is a river in Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the other being the Blue Nile. The name comes from the clay sediment carried in the water that changes the water to a pale color. ...
flows from Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...
and begins its descent to Egypt. Since Speke's route (inland from the East African coast) took him around the southern end of Lake Victoria, he approached Busoga from the west (through Buganda). Having reached his goal (the source of the Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered the longest rive ...
), he turned northward and followed the river downstream without exploring Busoga. He records, however, being told that ''Usoga'' ( Swahili for Busoga) was an island (it is bordered on all four sides by water).
Demographics
During the 19th century, one of the main routes along which Europeans travelled from the coast to Buganda
Buganda is a Bantu peoples, Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda, Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Buganda's Districts of Uganda, Central Region, inclu ...
passed through southern Busoga. Speke, James Grant, Gerald Portal
Sir Gerald Herbert Portal (13 March 1858 – 25 January 1894) was a British diplomat who was the Consul General for British East Africa and British Special Commissioner to Uganda, and a main figure in the establishment of the Uganda Protect ...
, Frederick Lugard
Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard (22 January 1858 – 11 April 1945), known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Hong ...
, J. R. Macdonald and Bishop Tucket noted that Busoga had plentiful food and was densely populated. However, between 1898–99 and 1900–01 the first cases of sleeping sickness
African trypanosomiasis, also known as African sleeping sickness or simply sleeping sickness, is an insect-borne parasitic infection of humans and other animals. It is caused by the species ''Trypanosoma brucei''. Humans are infected by two typ ...
were reported.
In 1906, orders were issued to evacuate the region. Despite attempts to clear the area, the epidemic continued until 1910. As a result, most of the densely populated parts of Busoga (with an original population of over 200,000) were depopulated within ten years. Lubas Palace at Bukaleba and the European fruit mission collapsed, and survivors were relocated to other parts of Busoga. Southern Busoga, about one-third of the kingdom's area, was depopulated by 1910. During the 1920s and 1930s, some evacuees who survived the epidemic began to return to their original land. In 1940 a new outbreak appeared in the area, and only in 1956 did resettlement (promoted by the government) begin again.
The result of the epidemic was that southern Busoga, its most densely populated area, was virtually uninhabited. Other areas affected by sleeping sickness, including eastern Bukooli Bukooli is one of the six traditional chiefdoms of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Repub ...
and Busiki ''See also Namutumba District for Busiki District.''
Busiki is one of the six traditional chiefdoms of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda
}), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north ...
, were depopulated as well. Famines also triggered substantial population movements. Parts of northeastern Busoga and the adjacent Bukandi district (across the Mpologoma River) experienced famines in 1898–1900, 1907, 1908, 1917, 1918 and 1944. Populations in these areas shrank; many people were killed by the famines, and survivors moved to other areas for safety.
The effects of these movements were apparent in the growth in population of central and peri-urban
Peri-urbanisation relates to the processes of scattered and dispersive urban growth that create hybrid landscapes of fragmented and mixed urban and rural characteristics.
Origin
The expression originates from the French word ' ("peri-urban" ...
Busoga. Many Basoga left Busoga during this period for other districts
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
.
Economics
During the pre-colonial era, people left their traditional lands and state structures disappeared. A number of clans and chiefdoms were decimated by famine and epidemics, and people migrated to Busoga with the traditions and cultures of other lands. A need for security fueled population growth in urban and peri-urban areas of Busoga such as Jinja, Iganga
Iganga is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Iganga District.
Location
Iganga is located in Uganda's Busoga sub-region. It lies approximately , by road, northeast of the ...
, Kamuli
Kamuli is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial centre of Kamuli District, and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.
Location
Kamuli is app ...
, Kaliro
Kaliro is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Kaliro District and the site of the district headquarters.
Location
Kaliro is approximately north of Iganga, the nearest large ...
, Bugiri and their surrounding areas
From 1920 to the 1970s, Jinja (Busoga's capital) gained economic importance due to cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus ''Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure cellulose, and can contain minor perce ...
production and the completion of the Uganda Railway
The Uganda Railway was a metre-gauge railway system and former British state-owned railway company. The line linked the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa in Kenya. After a series of mergers and splits, the lin ...
and the Owen Falls Dam
Nalubaale Power Station, formerly known as Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda. ''Nalubaale'' is the Luganda name for Lake Victoria.
Location
The dam sits across t ...
. The town became an agri-industrial centre with factories, cottage industries
The putting-out system is a means of subcontracting work. Historically, it was also known as the workshop system and the domestic system. In putting-out, work is contracted by a central agent to subcontractors who complete the project via remote w ...
and a well-developed infrastructure. People from rural Busoga came to work in the factories and in domestic work. Among the newcomers were Asian families. Services such as piped water, electricity, roads, hospitals and schools were improved to serve the growing population. Farmers were assured of markets in the towns, grew cash
In economics, cash is money in the physical form of currency, such as banknotes and coins.
In bookkeeping and financial accounting, cash is current assets comprising currency or currency equivalents that can be accessed immediately or near-imm ...
and food crops such as cotton, coffee, bananas, potatoes, cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively ...
, fruits and vegetables. The standard of living
Standard of living is the level of income, comforts and services available, generally applied to a society or location, rather than to an individual. Standard of living is relevant because it is considered to contribute to an individual's quality ...
improved; the kingdom's revenue increased, enabling it to build more infrastructure. Subsistence farming
Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no su ...
diminished, with the population turning to economic production demanded by the Europeans.
By the time of independence in 1962, Busoga was one of the most prosperous regions in Uganda. Jinja was home to 70 percent of Uganda's industries and the Nalubaale Power Station
Nalubaale Power Station, formerly known as Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda. ''Nalubaale'' is the Luganda name for Lake Victoria.
Location
The dam sits across the N ...
(Owen Falls Dam), which supplies electricity to Uganda and parts of Kenya and Tanzania. Jinja was also home to the majority of Uganda's Asian population. These Ugandan Asians
In early August 1972, the President of Uganda, Idi Amin, ordered the expulsion of his country's Indian minority, giving them 90 days to leave the country. At the time of the expulsion, there were about 80,000 individuals of Indian descent in Ugand ...
, brought to Uganda from the Indian sub-continent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
by the British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
during the Raj, helped establish Jinja as one of East Africa's largest commercial centres.
Politics
Around the turn of the 16th century, the Baisengobi clan from Bunyoro
Bunyoro or Bunyoro-Kitara is a Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King (''Omukama'') of Bunyoro-Kitara. The current ...
gained power. Mukama Namutukula of the royal Babiito family of Bunyoro is said to have left Bunyoro during the 16th century as part of the kingdom's expansion policy, travelling east across Lake Kyoga
Lake Kyoga (literally 'the place of bathing' in Runyoro language) is a large shallow lake in Uganda, about in area and at an elevation of 1,033 metres. The Victoria Nile flows through the lake on its way from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. The mai ...
with his wife Nawudo, a few servants, arms and a dog and landing at Iyingo in northern Busoga (in the present-day Kamuli District
Kamuli District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Kamuli is the site of the district headquarters.
Location
Kamuli District is bordered by Buyende District to the north, Luuka District to the east, Jinja District to th ...
).
Mukama, who enjoyed hunting, was taken with the land. He engaged in metalworking: blacksmithing and making hoes, iron utensils and spears. Of Mukama's children five boys survived, and when he returned to Bunyoro he gave them land to oversee. His firstborn, Wakoli, received Bukooli; Zibondo received Bulamogi, Ngobi Kigulu
Kigulu is one of the five traditional principalities of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. It is located in the Iganga District
Iganga District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Iganga is the site of the district headqua ...
, Tabingwa Luuka
Luuka Town, also known as Luuka Municipality, but often referred to simply as Luuka, is a town in Eastern Uganda. Prior to 1 July 2010, Luuka Town was known as "Kiyunga". It is the principal political, administrative and commercial center of Luu ...
, and the youngest son, Kitimbo, received Bugabula Bugabula is one of the five traditional principalities of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. It is located in the Kamuli District
Kamuli District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Kamuli is the site of the district headqu ...
. These areas later became administrative and cultural centers in Busoga. When Mukama did not return, his sons regarded themselves as the legitimate rulers of their respective areas. They presided over their dominions, employing governing methods and cultural rituals similar to those in Bunyoro. This political and cultural arrangement in Busoga continued until the late 19th century, when the colonialists
Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their relig ...
persuaded its rulers to organize a federation
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
. The federation was governed by a Lukiiko
{{refimprove, date=June 2014
The Lukiiko (sometimes Great Lukiiko) is the Parliament of the Kingdom of Buganda. It was, according to tradition, established by Kato Kintu, the first Kabaka of Buganda, after defeating the rival prince Bbemba, when he ...
.
Although Busoga is called a "kingdom", it did not have a central ruler before 1906, unlike its western neighbor Buganda. In 1906, a central administrator -- later a King -- was installed at the behest of the British. Before this, the Basoga were organized in semi-autonomous chiefdoms
A chiefdom is a form of hierarchical political organization in non-industrial societies usually based on kinship, and in which formal leadership is monopolized by the legitimate senior members of select families or 'houses'. These elites form a ...
influenced by Bunyoro and, later, Buganda. Some of the chiefs were appointed by the Kabaka, and, before the ascendancy of Buganda as the region’s dominant power, by the Omukama of Bunyoro.
Busoga's first native King was the chief of Bugabula Bugabula is one of the five traditional principalities of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. It is located in the Kamuli District
Kamuli District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Kamuli is the site of the district headqu ...
, Yosia Nadiope. Nadiope died in 1913 and was, in 1919, succeeded by the chief of Bulamogi, Ezekiel Tenywa Wako, who had both support of the colonialist British support and an administrative background, in addition to his being educated at the prestigious Kings' College Budo. Gideon Obodha of Kigulu
Kigulu is one of the five traditional principalities of the kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. It is located in the Iganga District
Iganga District is a district in the Eastern Region of Uganda. The town of Iganga is the site of the district headqua ...
(another contender for the post) was unfamiliar with the British system, and William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula of Bugabula was an infant whose regent (Mwami Mutekanga) was ineligible as a ''mukoopi'' (a commoner). In 1918-19, the title of Isebantu Kyabazinga was created and Wako took the throne. In 1925 Wako became a member of the Uganda Kings Council, consisting of the Kyabazinga of Busoga, the Kabaka of Buganda
the kabaka Palace in kireka
Kabaka is the title of the king of the Kingdom of Buganda.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, According to the traditions of the Baganda they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and ...
, the Omukamas of Bunyoro
Bunyoro or Bunyoro-Kitara is a Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King (''Omukama'') of Bunyoro-Kitara. The current ...
and Toro and the Omugabe of Ankole.
On 11 February 1939 Owekitibwa Ezekerial Tenywa Wako, father of the last Kyabazinga of Busoga Henry Wako Muloki and the Zibondo of Bulamogi, was installed as the first Kyabazinga of Busoga (a title he held until his 1949 retirement). By Wako's retirement, the Lukiiko had expanded to include elected representatives (two from each of Busoga's 55 sub-counties).
When Wako retired the Busoga Lukiiko resolved that the Kyabazinga should be elected from the five lineages of Baise Ngobi (Ababiito), hereditary rulers traditionally believed to have been the five sons of the Omukama of Bunyoro who migrated to Busoga from Bunyoro. This method of election was used for subsequent elections, beginning in 1949 when Owekitibwa Chief William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula of Bugabula was elected. He served for two terms of three years each, followed by Henry Wako Muloki (who also served two terms). In 1957, the title Inhebantu of Busoga was introduced for the wife of the Kyabazinga (or Isebantu).
When monarchies were abolished in 1966, the Kyabazinga was dethroned. Idi Amin
Idi Amin Dada Oumee (, ; 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern w ...
expelled the Asians from Uganda in 1972, and Jinja suffered socially and economically. The government of Yoweri Museveni has tried to encourage them to return. The Asian influence remains, particularly in architecture and street names.
In 1995, the government restored monarchies in Uganda. On 11 February, Henry Wako Muloki was reinstated as Kyabazinga according to Kisogan tradition. Unlike most monarchs, the Kyabazinga has no heir or crown prince but is succeeded by a chief elected by the Lukiiko and the Royal Council.
Past Kyabazingas
Three past Kyabazingas have presided over the federated state of Busoga since 1939: Ezekiel Tenywa Wako, Yosia Nadiope and William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula. Kadhumbula waged an ''emizindula'' (war on theft) and ended a British practice in the fight against smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by variola virus (often called smallpox virus) which belongs to the genus Orthopoxvirus. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (WHO) c ...
''(kawumpuli)'' where residents were required to publicly supply rat tails for counting to prove that they had killed the rats. His opposition brought him into conflict with the British; he was exiled to Bunyoro, later leading the Basoga into the Second World War.
Kadhumbula played an important role in Uganda's independence struggle; he was also the first vice-president of independent Uganda and chairman of the Uganda People's Congress
The Uganda People's Congress (UPC; sw, Congress ya Watu wa Uganda) is a political party in Uganda.
UPC was founded in 1960 by Milton Obote, who led the country to independence and later served two presidential terms under the party's banner ...
(UPC).
Kadhumbula built infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and government centres, and mobilised the Basoga for agriculture. Balangira High School later became Busoga College
Busoga College Mwiri, commonly known as Busoga College, is a boarding secondary school located in Uganda.
Location
Busoga College Mwiri is located on Mwiri Hill in Wairaka Parish, Kakira Town Council-Jinja District, Eastern Region of Uganda, ad ...
.
Political structure
The Busoga Royal Council is composed of the 11 traditional leaders of Busoga: the heads of the five royal families and the six tribal chiefs.
The ''Katukiro'' (Prime Minister) of Busoga is Joseph Muvawala Nsekere . The office of the Katukiro in the Kingdom is an important and a vital one. The ''Katukiro'' is the head of the kingdom's government, and the spokesperson for the Kyabazinga and the kingdom.
Attractions and historic sites
Kagulu Rock
This was the first settlement area for the Bunyoro Basoga, led by Mukama. Although Kagulu's cultural influence is widespread, its visible landmark is Kagulu Rock. The rock is between two roads which fork at its foot, leading to Gwaya and Iyingo. The rock has a clear view of almost all Busoga, with steps making it easier for visitors to reach the top. Kagulu Rock has been for a long time a major adventure and tourist attraction in Eastern Uganda. Previously, it had caught the curious eyes of the foreign NGO workers in the area, but with the advent of the local initiative to promote the site, Kagulu Rock is now a big attraction to all. Kagulu Rock, is a rocky prominence that rises 10,000 feet (3,048 m), above sea level.
Budhumbula shrine and palace
Two kilometers from Kamuli
Kamuli is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial centre of Kamuli District, and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.
Location
Kamuli is app ...
on the Kamuli-Jinja road, the site includes a shrine and the residence of former Kyabazinga William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope (who died in 1976). The marble-covered shrine contains the graves of other members of the royal family, including Nadiope's father and mother (Yosia Nadiope and Nasikombi). Other graves in the shrine are those of his son, former Uganda government minister Wilson Nadiope (who died in 1991), and his mother, Yuliya Babirye Nadiope (who died in 2004). The main palace residence is a legacy of the British colonial government, which donated it in 1914.
Source of the Nile
The source of the Nile
The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...
, the world's second-longest river, at Lake Victoria was discovered by John Speke and is an internationally known attraction.
Bujjagali Falls
This former waterfall was submerged in November 2011 by the Bujagali Dam.
Lake Victoria
Southern Busoga is bordered by Lake Victoria, whose coastline runs from Jinja east to the Kenya
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n border.
Bishop James Hannington Shrine
The place where Bishop James Hannington and 48 of his helpers are believed to have been murdered in 1885.
Twegaite
This nonprofit cultural organization is headquartered in Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
. Twegaite's main objective is to revitalize Busoga's economy, health and education.
See also
* Lusoga
Soga, or Lusoga, is a Bantu language spoken by the Soga people of the Busoga region in Eastern Uganda. With over three million speakers, it is one of the major languages of Uganda, after English, Swahili, and Luganda. However, it is largely re ...
- Lusoga language
*
References
Sources
* Fallers, Margaret Chave (1960) ''The Eastern Lacustrine Bantu (Ganda
Ganda may refer to:
Places
* Ganda, Angola
* Ganda, Tibet, China
* Ganda, the ancient Latin name of Ghent, a city in Belgium
Other uses
* Baganda or Ganda, a people of Uganda
** Luganda or Ganda language, a language of Uganda
* ''Ganda'' and "Ga ...
and Soga)''. Ethnographic survey of Africa: East central Africa, Vol 11. London: International African Institute
The International African Institute (IAI) was founded (as the International Institute of African Languages and Cultures - IIALC) in 1926 in London for the study of African languages. Frederick Lugard was the first chairman (1926 to his death in 194 ...
.
* Cohen, David William (1970). ''A survey of interlacustrine chronology''. ''The Journal of African History'', 1970, 11, 2, 177-202.
* Cohen, David William (1986). ''Towards a reconstructed past : Historical texts from Busoga, Uganda''. (Fontes historiae africanae). Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
: Oxford University Press.
* Fallers, Lloyd A. (1965) ''Bantu Bureaucracy - A Century of Political evolution among the Basoga of Uganda''. Phoenix Books
Orion Publishing Group Ltd. is a UK-based book publisher. It was founded in 1991 and acquired Weidenfeld & Nicolson the following year. The group has published numerous bestselling books by notable authors including Ian Rankin, Michael Connelly, ...
, The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...
.
External links
Busoga University
formerly Busoga College Mwiri
Busoga College Mwiri, commonly known as Busoga College, is a boarding secondary school located in Uganda.
Location
Busoga College Mwiri is located on Mwiri Hill in Wairaka Parish, Kakira Town Council-Jinja District, Eastern Region, Uganda, Easte ...
Busoga College Mwiri
Busoga clans and other resources
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Sub-regions of Uganda
Ugandan monarchies
Ethnic groups in Uganda
Non-sovereign monarchy