All Topics  
Kabaka of Buganda

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Kabaka of Buganda
 
 
  Topics Kabaka of Buganda Topic Home

Kabaka is the title of the king of Buganda
Buganda

Buganda is the kingdom of the Baganda people, the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. The three million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan ethnic group, although they represent only about 16.7 percent of the population....
. 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
Regalia

Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereignty.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.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Kabaka of Buganda'
Start a new discussion about 'Kabaka of Buganda'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Kabaka is the title of the king of Buganda
Buganda

Buganda is the kingdom of the Baganda people, the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. The three million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan ethnic group, although they represent only about 16.7 percent of the population....
. 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
Regalia

Regalia is Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and the insignia characteristic of a Sovereignty.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

Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, is the burial grounds for four previous Kabaka of Buganda , and a World Heritage Site.The royal enclosure at Kasubi hill was first built in 1881....
 and the Wamala Tombs, one is shown the entrance of the forest. It is taboo
Taboo

A taboo is a strong social prohibition against words, objects, actions, or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group, culture, society, or community....
 to look beyond the entrance.

Election of kings

Buganda has no concept equivalent to the Crown Prince
Crown Prince

A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir 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 behaviour 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 princes and princesses 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 and princesses take on the clan of their biological mothers. This is to ensure that each of the 52 clans of Baganda
Buganda

Buganda is the kingdom of the Baganda people, the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. The three million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan ethnic group, although they represent only about 16.7 percent of the population....
 gets a chance of producing a future king of Buganda, since a reigning king can marry from any of the 52 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

  • Kintu Kato
    Kintu of Buganda

    Kintu Kato was the first Kabaka of Buganda of the Buganda kingdom.Kintu created the kingdom of Buganda by forcefully taking over the five clans that lived in the region....
    , late fourteenth century
  • Chwa I
    Chwa I of Buganda

    Ccwa I of Buganda was Kabaka of Buganda of the Buganda kingdom. He was the son of King Kintu of Buganda and his name was Ccwa Nabakka. His mother was Nambi Nantutuululu, of the Ngeye Clan....
    , early fifteenth century
  • Kimera
    Kimera of Buganda

    Kimera was the third king of Buganda....
    , c.1420-c.1447
  • Ttembo, c.1447-c.1474
  • Kiggala, c.1474-c.1501
  • Kiyimba, c.1501-c.1501
  • Kayima, c.1528-c.1528
  • Nakibinge, c.1555-c.1582
  • Mulondo, c.1582-late 16th century with...
  • Jjemba, late 16th century and...
  • Ssuuna I, late sixteenth century-c.1609
  • Ssekamanya, c.1609-early seventeenth century
  • Kimbugwe, early seventeenth century
  • Kateregga, c.1636-c.1663
  • Mutebi I, Jjuuko, and Kayemba c.1663-c.1690
  • Tebandeke and Ndawula, c.1690-c.1717
  • Kagulu, Kikulwe and Mawanda. c.1717-c.1744
  • Mwanga
    Mwanga I of Buganda

    Mwanga, son of Mutesa, former King of Buganda. After Mutesa's death in 1884, Mwanga took over as King. He is viewed as being a weak king, because he was not able to stop the three rivaling parties, Catholics, Protestant, and Muslims, from fighting....
    , Namugala, and Kyabaggu, c.1744-c.1771
  • Jjunju
    Jjunju of Buganda

    Jjunju was the Kabaka of Buganda between 1770 to 1790 approximately. He conquered Buddu from Bunyoro. His reign was interrupted by the struggle between him and his brother Semakokiro , who fought a war against him and killed him....
     and Ssemakokiro, c.1771-1797
  • Ssemakokiro (alone), c.1797-1814
  • Kamaya, 1814-1836
  • Ssuuna II, 1836-1856
  • Mutesa I
    Mutesa I of Buganda

    Mukaabya of Buganda better known by his royal name Mutesa I, was Kabaka of Buganda of Buganda from October 1856 until his death. During his reign Buganda was visited by Catholic and Anglican Christian missionaries....
    , 1856-1884
  • Mwanga II
    Mwanga II of Buganda

    Mwanga II Basammula Ekkere was the last Kabaka of independent Buganda. He succeeded his father, Mutesa I, in 1884. Mwanga saw the greatest threat to his rule coming from the Christian missionaries that had gradually been penetrating Buganda....
    , 1884-1888
  • Kiweewa, 1888 - pretender to the throne during exile times of Mwanga II
  • Kalema
    Kalema of Buganda

    Kalema Rashid was son of Kabaka Mutesa I of Buganda , and pretender to the throne during exiles of Mwanga II of Buganda.King Kalema Rashid, was son of Mutesa I thus meaning that he had a legitimate claim to the throne....
    . 1888-1889 - pretender to the throne during exile times of Mwanga II
  • Mwanga II
    Mwanga II of Buganda

    Mwanga II Basammula Ekkere was the last Kabaka of independent Buganda. He succeeded his father, Mutesa I, in 1884. Mwanga saw the greatest threat to his rule coming from the Christian missionaries that had gradually been penetrating Buganda....
     (2nd time) 1889-1897 - on return from exile after the murder of Kiweewa Mutebi and Kalema by loyalists
  • Daudi Cwa II
    Daudi Cwa II of Buganda

    Sir Daudi Cwa II, KCMG, Order of the British Empire was the monarch of Buganda from 1897 to 1939.On 14 August 1897, he succeeded Mwanga II as king of Buganda, a state in East-Africa, which is now part of Uganda....
    , 1897-1939
  • Mutesa II
    Mutesa II of Buganda

    Sir Edward Mutesa II, Order of the British Empire was the Kabaka of Buganda of Buganda from 1939 until his death, and List of Presidents of Uganda of Uganda from 1963 to 1966....
    , 1939-1969
  • Period of Interregnum
    Interregnum

    An interregnum is a period of discontinuity of a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next , and the concepts of interregnum and Regent therefore overlap....
     1969-1993
  • Muwenda Mutebi II, 1993-present.


External links