Kabaka of Buganda
Encyclopedia
Kabaka is the title of the king
of the Kingdom of Buganda
. According to the traditions of the Baganda
they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other material.
The spiritual, or supernatural, king is represented by the Royal Drums. These are regalia
called Mujaguzo and, as they always exist, the Buganda at any time will always have a king. Mujaguzo, like any other king, has his own palace, officials, servants, and palace guards. The material, human prince has to perform special cultural rites on the Royal Drums before he can be declared king of the Kingdom of Buganda. Upon the birth of a royal prince or princess, the Royal Drums are sounded by drummers specially selected from a specified clan as a means of informing the subjects of the kingdom of the birth of new member of the royal family. The same Royal Drums are sounded upon the death of a reigning king to officially announce the death of the material king. According to Buganda culture, a king does not die but gets lost in the forest. Inside the royal tomb, for example the Kasubi Tombs
and the Wamala Tombs, one is shown the entrance of the forest. It is taboo
to look beyond the entrance.
. All the princes are equally treated prior to the coronation of a new king following the death of a reigning king. However, during the period of a reigning king, a special council has the mandate to study the behavior and characteristics of the young princes. The reigning king, informed by the recommendation of the special council, selects one prince to be his successor. In a secret ceremony, the selected prince is given a special piece of bark cloth
by the head of the special verification council. The name of the "king-to-be" is kept secret by the special council until the death of the reigning king. When all the prince
s and princess
es are called to view the body of the late king lying in state, the selected prince lays the special piece of bark cloth over the body of the late king, revealing himself as the successor to the throne.
By tradition, Baganda children take on the clan of their biological fathers. However, princes take on the clan of their biological mothers on becoming a king (Kabaka) This is to ensure that each of the 56 clans of Baganda gets a chance of producing a future king of Buganda, since a reigning king can marry from any of the 56 clans except that of his biological mother.
The first born prince, by tradition called Kiweewa, is not allowed to become king. This was carefully planned to protect him against any attempted assassinations in a bid to fight for the crown. Instead he is given special roles to play in the matters of the royal family and kingdom. Thus, the name of the possible successor to the throne remains secret.
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the Kingdom of Buganda
Buganda
Buganda is a subnational kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Ganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda, comprising all of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala, with the exception of the disputed eastern Kayunga District...
. According to the traditions of the Baganda
Baganda
The Ganda are an ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally comprising 52 tribes the Ganda have a rich history and culture...
they are ruled by two kings, one spiritual and the other material.
The spiritual, or supernatural, king is represented by the Royal Drums. These are regalia
Regalia
Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereign.The word stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'...
called Mujaguzo and, as they always exist, the Buganda at any time will always have a king. Mujaguzo, like any other king, has his own palace, officials, servants, and palace guards. The material, human prince has to perform special cultural rites on the Royal Drums before he can be declared king of the Kingdom of Buganda. Upon the birth of a royal prince or princess, the Royal Drums are sounded by drummers specially selected from a specified clan as a means of informing the subjects of the kingdom of the birth of new member of the royal family. The same Royal Drums are sounded upon the death of a reigning king to officially announce the death of the material king. According to Buganda culture, a king does not die but gets lost in the forest. Inside the royal tomb, for example the Kasubi Tombs
Kasubi Tombs
The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, is the site of the burial grounds for four kabakas , and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.On 16 March 2010, some of the major buildings there were almost completely destroyed by a fire, the cause of which is under investigation...
and the Wamala Tombs, one is shown the entrance of the forest. It is taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
to look beyond the entrance.
Election of kings
Buganda has no concept equivalent to the Crown PrinceCrown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
. All the princes are equally treated prior to the coronation of a new king following the death of a reigning king. However, during the period of a reigning king, a special council has the mandate to study the behavior and characteristics of the young princes. The reigning king, informed by the recommendation of the special council, selects one prince to be his successor. In a secret ceremony, the selected prince is given a special piece of bark cloth
Tapa cloth
Tapa cloth is a bark cloth made in the islands of the Pacific Ocean, primarily in Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, but as far afield as Niue, Cook Islands, Futuna, Solomon Islands, Java, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Hawaii...
by the head of the special verification council. The name of the "king-to-be" is kept secret by the special council until the death of the reigning king. When all the prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s and princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
es are called to view the body of the late king lying in state, the selected prince lays the special piece of bark cloth over the body of the late king, revealing himself as the successor to the throne.
By tradition, Baganda children take on the clan of their biological fathers. However, princes take on the clan of their biological mothers on becoming a king (Kabaka) This is to ensure that each of the 56 clans of Baganda gets a chance of producing a future king of Buganda, since a reigning king can marry from any of the 56 clans except that of his biological mother.
The first born prince, by tradition called Kiweewa, is not allowed to become king. This was carefully planned to protect him against any attempted assassinations in a bid to fight for the crown. Instead he is given special roles to play in the matters of the royal family and kingdom. Thus, the name of the possible successor to the throne remains secret.
Kings of Buganda
The following are the known Kings of Buganda, starting from around 1300 AD.- Kato Kintu, early fourteenth century
- Chwa IChwa I of BugandaChwa I Nabakka was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda. He reigned during the mid 14th century. He was the second Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, mid fourteenth century - KimeraKimera of BugandaKimera Walusimbi was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1374 and 1404. He was the third king of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:Kimera was the only son of Prince Kalemeera, the son of Kabaka Chwa Nabakka. His mother was Lady Wannyana, the supposed chief wife of King Winyi of Bunyoro...
, c.1374-c.1404 - TtemboTtembo of BugandaTtembo Kiridde was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda. He ruled between 1404 and 1434. He was the fourth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1404-c.1434 - KiggalaKiggala of BugandaKiggala Sewannaku Mukaabya Kasungubu was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda. He reigned from 1434 until 1464 and from 1484 until 1494. He was the fifth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1434-c.1464 and c.1484-c.1494 - KiyimbaKiyimba of BugandaNtege Kiyimba was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda. He reigned between 1464 and 1484. He was the sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1464-c.1484 - KayimaKayima of BugandaKayima Sendikaddiwa was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1494 and 1524. He was the seventh Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1494-c.1524 - NakibingeNakibinge of BugandaNakibinge Kagali was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1524 to 1554 AD. He was the eighth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1524-c.1554 (Followed by a period of InterregnumInterregnumAn interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
, c.1554-c.1555) - MulondoMulondo of BugandaMulondo Sekajja was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1555 and 1564. He was the ninth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:He was the eldest surviving son of Kabaka Nakibinge Kagali, Kabaka of Buganda, who reigned between 1524 and 1554. His mother was Nabakyaala Namulondo, the fourth ...
, c.1555-1564 - JembaJemba of BugandaJemba Busungwe was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1564 and 1584. He was the 10th Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1564-c.1584 - Suuna ISuuna I of BugandaSuuna I Kisolo, also spelled as Ssuuna I Kisolo, was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, reigning from about 1584 until his death around 1614. He was the eleventh Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1584-c.1614 - SekamaanyaSekamaanya of BugandaSekamaanya Kisolo, also spelled as Ssekamaanya Kisolo, was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1614 and 1634. He was the twelfth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1614-c.1634 - KimbugweKimbugwe of BugandaKimbugwe Kamegere was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1634 and 1644. He was the thirteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1634-c.1644 - KatereggaKateregga of BugandaKateregga Kamegere was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1644 and 1674. He was the fourteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1644-c.1674 - Mutebi IMutebi I of BugandaMutebi I was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1674 and 1680. He was the fifteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:He was the son of Kabaka Kateregga Kamegere, Kabaka of Buganda, who reigned between 1644 and 1674. His mother was Namutebi of the Mamba clan, the eighth wife of his...
, c.1674-c.1680 - JuukoJuuko of BugandaJuuko Mulwaana was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1680 and 1690. He was the sixteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1680-c.1690 - KayembaKayemba of BugandaKayemba Kisiki was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1690 and 1704. He was the seventeenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1690-c.1704 - TebandekeTebandeke of BugandaTebandeke Mujambula, sometimes spelled as Ttebandeke Mujambula, was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1704 and 1724. He was the eighteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1704-c.1724 - NdawulaNdawula of BugandaNdawula Nsobya was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1724 and 1734. He was the nineteenth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1724-c.1734 - KaguluKagulu of BugandaKagulu Ntambi Tebukywereke was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1734 and 1736. He was the twentieth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1734-c.1736 - KikulweKikulwe of BugandaKikulwe Mawuba was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1736 and 1738. He was the twenty first Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1736-c.1738 - MawandaMawanda of BugandaMawanda Sebanakitta was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1738 and 1740. He was the twenty second Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
. c.1738-c.1740 - Mwanga IMwanga I of BugandaMwanga I Sebanakitta was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1740 until 1741. He was the twenty third Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1740-c.1741 - NamuggalaNamuggala of BugandaNamuggala Kagali was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, between 1741 and 1750. He was the twenty-forth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1741-c.1750 - KyabagguKyabaggu of BugandaKyabaggu Kabinuli was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1750 until 1780. He was the twenty-fifth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1750-c.1780 - JjunjuJjunju of BugandaJunju Sendegeya was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1780 until 1797. He was the twenty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1780-c.1797 - SemakookiroSemakookiro of BugandaSemakookiro, also spelled as Ssemakookiro, whose full name is Semakookiro Wasajja Nabbunga was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from 1797 until 1814. He was the twenty-seventh Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, c.1797-c.1814 - KamaanyaKamaanya of BugandaKamaanya Kadduwamala was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from 1814 until 1832. He was the twenty-eighth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 1814 - 1832 - Suuna II, 1832 - 1856
- Muteesa IMuteesa I of BugandaMuteesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from 1856 until 1884. He was the thirtieth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 1856 - 1884 - Mwanga IIMwanga II of BugandaDanieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa was Kabaka from 1884 until 1888 and from 1889 until 1897. He was the thirty-first Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 1884 - 1888 and 1889 - 1897 - KiweewaKiweewa of BugandaMutebi Nnyonyintono Kiweewa was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from August 2, 1888 until October 21, 1888. He was the thirty-second Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 1888 - 1888 - KalemaKalema of BugandaRashid Kalema Muguluma was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from October 21, 1888 until October 5, 1889. He was the thirty-third Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 1888 - 1889 - Daudi Chwa II, 1897 - 1939
- Muteesa IIMutesa II of BugandaMajor General Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa II KBE , was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda from November 22, 1939 until his death. He was the thirty-fifth Kabaka of Buganda and the first President of Uganda...
, 1939 - 1969 (Followed by a period of InterregnumInterregnumAn interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
1969 - 1993) - Muwenda Mutebi II, 1993 - present.