Busoga, literally translated to Land of the Soga, is the kingdom of the 11 principalities of the Basoga/Soga (singular Musoga) people.
The term Busoga also loosely refers to the area that is generally indigenous to the Basoga. About the turn of the 16th century, an important event took place, which was to give the Basoga their peculiar cultural configuration. This was the advent of the Baisengobi clan, who bear their historical descendancy from Bunyoro.
Origin
Prince Mukama Namutukula from the royal ?family (Babiito) of Bunyoro is said to have left Bunyoro around the 16th century and as part of Bunyoro’s expansionist policy and trekked eastwards across Lake Kyoga with his wife Nawudo, a handful of servants, arms and a dog, and landed at Iyingo, located at the northern point of Busoga in the present day Kamuli District.
Prince Mukama loved hunting and his adventures exposed him to the beauties of the new found land. For sometime he engaged himself in blacksmithing, making ?hoes, iron utensils and spears. Prince Mukama and wife Nawudo bore several ?children of whom only five boys survived. On his departure back to Bunyoro, Prince Mukama allocated them areas within his influence as overseers. In this way, the first-born Wakoli was given to oversee the area called Bukooli, Zibondo was to administer Bulamogi, Ngobi was given Kigulu, Tabingwa was to oversee Luuka, while the youngest son Kitimbo was to settle in Bugabula.
These loosely allotted areas of supervision to the Prince’s sons were later to become major administrative and centers cultural authority in Busoga. With time passing without the expected return of their father, the five sons of Prince Mukama regarded themselves as the legitimate rulers over their respective areas by virtue of their family origin (Babiito). They continued to preside over their respective dominions; employing governing methods and cultural rituals like those ?from Bunyoro-Kitara. This state of affairs in Busoga’s political and cultural arrangement continued till the late 19th century when the colonialists persuaded the rulers of Busoga into some form of federation. This federation resulted into a regional Busoga council called Busoga Lukiiko.
Before 1906, although it was often called a ‘Kingdom’, it was debatable whether Busoga could really be classified as such. Unlike its western neighbor, Buganda, Busoga did not have a central ‘all-powerful’ figurehead (King or Queen) until 1906, at the behest of the British colonial powers. Prior to this, the Basoga were organized in semi-autonomous chiefdoms, partly under the influence of Bunyoro initially, and then later on, under the partial influence of Buganda.
Governance
Before the coming of the British to Uganda, there was no uniting leadership in Busoga. When Uganda became a British protectorate, attempts were made to create a central form of administration on the model of Buganda which was a fully fledged kingdom. The Buganda King – the Kabaka had lineage going back centuries. However, in Busoga some of the chiefs had been simply appointed by the Kabaka – and it is believed that in some cases they were descendants of favored Baganda chiefs who were given authority to rule over land in Busoga. Others simply belonged to powerful landowning families in Busoga that had become self-appointed rulers over vast areas. The British brought all these chiefs into an administrative structure called the Lukiiko. The British appointed a Muganda from Buganda, Semei Kakungulu as the President of the Lukiiko and he became Busoga’s first leader, although the British refused to give him the title of ‘King’, as they did not regard him as a real king.
However wrangles amongst the different chiefs and clans continued, and most Basoga still retained affiliation to their chief, clan or dialect. It was also not helpful ?that the ‘King’ was from Buganda. The Lukiiko structure collapsed. The structure had however given the Basoga a taste of what influence they could muster in the protectorate if they had a King. It would elevate them to the level of Bunyoro and Buganda.
Meanwhile, the white colonial rulers were grooming Chief Yosia Nadiope, the Gabula of Bugabula to become the first permanent resident ruler of the formed Busoga federation. Nadiope had been one of the first Basoga students to study at Kings College Budo in 1906. However, catastrophe struck Busoga in 1913, when Nadiope died of malaria. The following year 1914, Chief Ezekeriel Tenywa Wako, the Zibondo of Bulamogi was completing his studies at Kings College Budo. With the support of the British coupled with his background as a Prince, Zibondo of Bulamogi, with his good educational background, was a suitable candidate for the top post. In 1919, the hereditary saza chiefs of Busoga resolved in the Lukiiko to elect Ezekerial Tenywa Wako as president of Busoga. Chief Gideon Obodha of Kigulu, a contending candidate for the post was not familiar with the British system, while William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula of Bugabula was still an infant. His regent Mwami Mutekanga was a ‘mukoopi’ (a commoner) who couldn’t run for the post. Eventually, in 1918-9, the title of Isebantu Kyabazinga was created and one of the chiefs, Wako took the throne. He was given a salary of 550 pounds, and permitted to collect taxes in Butembe county in lieu of the lost role in his traditional chiefdom of Bulamogi. In 1925, Ezekiel Tenywa Wako, the Kyabazinga of Busoga became a member of Uganda Kings Council, consisting of the Kyabazinga of Busoga, Kabaka of Buganda, the Omukama of Bunyoro, Omukama of Toro/Omukama of Tooro and Omugabe of Ankole.
On 11 February 1939 Owekitibwa Ezekerial Tenywa Wako (late father of the last Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga, HRH Henry Wako Muloki), the Zibondo of Bulamogi was installed as the first Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga which title he continued to hold until 1949 when he retired due to old age. By the time Owekitibwa E.T. Wako retired as the Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga, the Busoga Lukiiko had expanded to include people other than the Hereditary Rulers. These members of the Busoga Lukiiko were elected representatives – two from each of the then 55 Sub-counties in Busoga.
When Owekitibwa E.T.Wako retired, it was necessary to replace him. The Busoga Lukiiko resolved then that the Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga shall always be elected among the five lineages of Baise Ngobi (Ababiito) hereditary rulers – traditionally believed to have been the five sons of Omukama of Bunyoro who immigrated to Busoga from Bunyoro, namely:Zibondo of Bulamogi, Gabula of Bugabula, Ngobi of Kigulu, Tabingwa of Luuka, Nkono of Bukono.
This method of election was used for the subsequent elections of the Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga, beginning 1949 when Owekitibwa Chief William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula of Bugabula was elected Isebantu Kyabazinga wa Busoga for two terms of three years each, followed by Owekitibwa Henry Wako Muloki who also served two terms.
In 1957, the title Inhebantu was introduced as a description of the wife of the Isebantu. This epitomised the gradual unification of Busoga and the evolution of Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga.
Present Day Busoga
When monarchies were abolished in 1966, the Kyabazinga was dethroned. When the dictator Idi Amin expelled the Asians from Uganda in 1972, Jinja suffered both socially and economically. The government of Yoweri Museveni tried to encourage Ugandan Asians to return and some returned This has helped but has not revitalized Jinja to its former glory. However the Asian influence remains, particularly in the architecture and street names.
In 1995, the government restored monarchies in Uganda with the promulgation of the new constitution of the Republic of Uganda; Article 246(1). On February 11, 1995, H.R.H Henry Wako Muloki was reinstated as Kyabazinga Isebantu of Busoga, according to Kisoga traditions and culture. Unlike most monarchies, the Kyabazinga has no heir or Crown Prince. Instead, the Kyabazinga is succeeded by a reigning chief elected by the Lukiiko and the Royal Council.
Past Kyabazingas
Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga has evolved over years and each Kyabazinga ?that has presided over Busoga has added a piece to the process. To date, there have ?been three past Kyabazingas who have presided over Busoga since 1939 as an ?established federated state of Busoga.
These have been:- Chief Ezekiel Tenywa Wako, who was the first ??Kyabazinga of Busoga and ascended to the throne in 1939: Yosia Nadiope, and Sir William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula.
Sir William Wilberforce Kadhumbula succeeded his late father’s (Yosia Nadiope) quick sense of judgement and love for the people. He ridded the kingdom of insecurity; eliminating bad elements in society in the famous operation named ‘Emizindula,’ (war against theft), ended the British policy on the fight against smallpox (Kawumpuli), during which residents were ordered to carry rat tails to Busoga square for counting as evidence that they had really killed the diseases agents (rats). This, he saw as a dehumanising act and joined his subjects to denounce the policy, which brought him in conflict with the British administration. As a result he was exiled to Bunyoro where he was called to lead the Basoga into the Second World War.
His war skills and mobilisation ability earned him Queen Elizabeth’s admiration and love. He was honoured with the title Sir among other awards.
He also played a big role in Uganda’s independence struggle and before the end of his career, he had served as the first Vice President of the independent Uganda. He was also the Chairman of Uganda People’s Congress political party (UPC).
He mobilised for the construction of infrastructures like roads, hospitals, government centres like county and sub-county headquarters and most of all mobilising the Basoga to productive farming of both food and crops.
During his tenure of office doubling as the Vice President, Kyabazinga and UPC Chairman, he managed to push for several development projects in Busoga that include construction of schools like the Balangira High School, which later became Busoga College Mwiri.