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59-818: Sometimes described as "The King's Men" because of the importance of the king, or Kabaka , in their society, the Ganda number an estimated 5.56 million people in Uganda. In addition, there is a significant diaspora abroad, with organised communities in Canada , South Africa , Sweden , the United Kingdom , and the United States . Traditionally, they speak Luganda . According to the 2002 Census of Uganda, 42.7% of Baganda are Roman Catholic , 27.4% are Anglican ( Church of Uganda ), 23% are Muslim , and 4.3% are Pentecostal . The Baganda have

118-426: A creation myth that says that the first man on earth (and Buganda in particular) was Kintu . Kintu married Nnambi , the daughter of the god, Ggulu . The Baganda are the descendants of Kintu and Nnambi. According to this myth, Walumbe , Nambi's jealous brother is responsible for all human disease and death on earth. Another brother, Kayiikuuzi tried to protect humans from Walumbe but failed. To this day, Kayiikuuzi

177-462: A centralized kingship, the Baganda (people of Buganda) shifted away from defensive strategies and toward expansion. By the mid 19th century, Buganda had doubled and redoubled its territory conquering much on Bunyoro and becoming the dominant state in the region. Newly conquered lands were placed under chiefs nominated by the king. Buganda's armies and the royal tax collectors traveled swiftly to all parts of

236-602: A group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the kingdom of Buganda, now part of Uganda , were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court. The episode also occurred against the backdrop of the " Scramble for Africa " – the invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers. These murders and Mwanga's continued resistance alarmed

295-462: 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 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

354-412: A manner that had never happened before." "When Mwanga was brought to the capital as a captive the administration expected the people to be happy now that the enemy of their peace and religion was going into exile. On the contrary, people wanted him pardoned." "Mwanga ... was demonstrably unequal to the task of controlling the foreigners who were subverting his kingdom under his very nose. He did not have

413-458: A patrilineage. A group of related lineages constituted a clan. Clan leaders could summon a council of lineage heads, and council decisions affected all lineages within the clan. Many of these decisions regulated marriage, which had always been between two different lineages, forming important social and political alliances for the men of both lineages. Lineage and clan leaders also helped maintain efficient land use practices, and they inspired pride in

472-606: A revolutionary army that was determined to free Buganda of colonial influence, but was again defeated on 15 January 1898. He was captured, tortured and in April 1899 was exiled to the Seychelles . While in exile, he was coerced into the Anglican Church by way of forced baptism and was given the name Danieri (Daniel). He spent the rest of his life in exile but his anti-imperialist resolve was never broken. He remained deeply resentful about

531-416: 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

590-454: A young age. Baganda recognize at a very young age that their superiors, too, live in a world of rules. Social rules require a man to share his wealth by offering hospitality, and this rule applies more stringently to those of higher status. Superiors are also expected to behave with impassivity, dignity, self-discipline, and self-confidence, and adopting these mannerisms sometimes enhances a man's opportunities for success. Authoritarian control

649-499: Is an important theme of Ganda culture. In precolonial times, obedience to the king was a matter of life and death. However, a second major theme of Ganda culture is the emphasis on individual achievement. An individual's future is not entirely determined by status at birth. Instead, individuals carve out their fortunes by hard work as well as by choosing friends, allies, and patrons carefully. Ganda culture tolerates social diversity more easily than many other African societies. Even before

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708-607: Is another specific tradition of the Baganda concerning the two kings who rule the Kingdom of Buganda that began after the death of Kabaka Tebandeke ( c.  1704  – c.  1724 ). When Kabaka Tebandeke died, he was succeeded by two kings of Buganda; the first was his cousin Kabaka Ndawula Nsobya (c. 1724 – c. 1734) who became the material king and the second was his only surviving biological son Juma Katebe who became

767-431: Is generally accepted as a historical who founded Buganda and became its first 'Kabaka', adopting the name Kintu in reference to the legend of Kintu to establish his legitimacy as a ruler. He was successful in unifying what had previously been a number of warring tribes to form a strong kingdom. As such by the 18th century, the formerly dominant Bunyoro kingdom was being eclipsed by Buganda. Consolidating their efforts behind

826-454: Is still trying to capture Walumbe from the underground where he hides and take him back home. The early history of the Ganda is unclear, with various conflicting traditions as to their origins. One tradition holds that they are descendants of the legendary figure of Kintu , the first human according to Ganda mythology. He was said to have married Nambi, the daughter of the creator deity Ggulu . A related tradition holds that Kintu came from

885-586: The British colonialists on behalf of the Queen of the United Kingdom . Kabaka of Buganda 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 secular. The spiritual, or supernatural, king is represented by the Royal Drums, regalia called Mujaguzo. A s they always exist, Buganda will always have

944-488: The British , who backed a rebellion by Christian and Muslim groups who supported Mwanga's half brother and defeated Mwanga at Mengo in 1888. Mwanga's brother, Kiweewa Nnyonyintono , was elevated to the throne . He lasted exactly one month and was replaced on the throne by another brother, Kabaka Kalema Muguluma . However, Mwanga escaped and negotiated with the British. In exchange for handing over some of his sovereignty to

1003-584: The British East Africa Company , the British changed their backing to Mwanga, who swiftly removed Kalema from the throne in 1889. Mwanga later converted to Christianity and was baptized as a Protestant. On 26 December 1890, Mwanga was to sign a treaty with Lord Lugard , granting certain powers over revenue, trade and the administration of justice to the Imperial British East Africa Company . These powers were transferred to

1062-510: The Christian missionaries who had gradually penetrated Buganda. His father had played-off the three religious traditions – Catholics , Protestants , and Muslims – against each other and thus had balanced the influence of the powers that were backing each group in order to extend their reach into Africa. Mwanga II took a much more aggressive approach. On his orders, the Uganda Martyrs ,

1121-560: The "masiro" or palace tomb or burial ground of Kabaka Tebandeke located in Bundeke, Merera in Busiro (part of Wakiso district of Uganda) to perform special religious ceremonies. Buganda has no concept equivalent to the Crown Prince . All the princes are equally treated prior to the coronation of a new king following the death of a reigning monarch . However, during the period of a reigning king,

1180-533: The 1860s and back home in Britain givewithlowing account of the advanced Bantu kingdom he had found in East Africa, and fellow explorers as well as colonialists were to soon follow him into the kingdom. The journalist Henry Morton Stanley visited Buganda in 1875 and painted a good picture of the kingdom's strength, as well as providing an estimate of Buganda troop strength. In 1876 Christian missionaries started entering

1239-527: The Ganda are a Bantu people, it is most likely that their roots are in the region between West and Central Africa (around what is now Cameroon) and they arrived in their current location by way of the Bantu Migration . As for the founding of the Kingdom of the Ganda (Buganda), the most widely acknowledged account is that it was founded by Kato Kintu. This Kato Kintu is different from the mythical Kintu, as he

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1298-532: The President of Uganda since 1986, the kingdom was finally restored in 1993. Buganda is now a kingdom monarchy with a large degree of autonomy from the Ugandan state, although tensions between the kingdom and the country remain. The Ganda came into contact with the British in the nineteenth century, resulting in widespread social upheavals in Buganda. The population of the Ganda, said to have numbered three million during

1357-509: The Ugandan state, although tensions between the kingdom and the Ugandan government continue to be a defining feature of Ugandan politics. Since the restoration of the kingdom in 1993, the king of Buganda, known as the Kabaka, has been Muwenda Mutebi II . He is recognised as the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda. The current queen, known as the Nnabagereka, is Queen Sylvia Nagginda . Kabaka Mwanga II

1416-482: The arrival of Europeans, many Ganda villages included residents from outside Buganda. Some had arrived in the region as slaves, but by the early 20th century, many non-Baganda migrant workers stayed in Buganda to farm. Marriage with non-Baganda was fairly common, and many Baganda marriages ended in divorce. After independence, Ugandan officials estimated that one-third to one-half of all adults marry more than once during their lives. Following Uganda's independence in 1962,

1475-452: The best means of securing this relationship is through one's children. Baganda children, some as young as three years old, are sent to live in the homes of their social superiors, both to cement ties of loyalty among parents and to provide avenues for social mobility for their children. Even in the 1980s, Baganda children were considered psychologically better prepared for adulthood if they had spent several years living away from their parents at

1534-542: The birth of a 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 Buganda's royal tombs such as the Kasubi Tombs and the Wamala Tombs, one is shown the entrance of the forest. It is a taboo to look beyond the entrance. Additionally, there

1593-553: The centre of the newly formed Uganda Protectorate as part of the British Empire in 1894. Land which had previously belonged solely to the Kabaka , was divided among the Kabaka and the tribal chiefs. Many of the old clan burial-grounds, previously considered sacred, were desecrated. Ganda social organization emphasized descent through males. Four or five generations of descendants of one man, related through male forebears, constituted

1652-432: The charges levelled against Mwanga by his numerous Christian and Muslim detractors were true, he was still right to claim supreme authority in the kingdom of his forefathers." "... Mwanga struck them (Ganda elders) as being kinder and gentler than Mutesa had been while a youth. For sheer tyranny, Mwanga II was easily outclassed by his father, grandfather and great grandfather, each of whom was remembered in Ganda tradition at

1711-425: The chiefs ended up with everything they wanted, including one-half of all the land in Buganda. The half left to the British as "Crown Land" was later found to be largely swamp and scrub. Johnston's Buganda Agreement of 1900 imposed a tax on huts and guns, designated the chiefs as tax collectors, and testified to the continued alliance of British and Baganda interests. The British signed much less generous treaties with

1770-450: The clan of their biological fathers. It is a common misconception that the Kabaka (king) of Buganda takes his clan from his mother. Some go as far as saying that Buganda's royal family was matrilineal. Neither of these assertions is true. The Kabaka has his own clan which is called the royal clan "Olulyo Olulangira". Members of this clan are referred to as abalangira for males and abambejja for females. The misconception arose in part because

1829-676: The conquest of his own people by the British and urged them to keep up the struggle against a European rule. He died in the Seychelles on 8 May 1903, aged 34 or 35 as a result of torture by British soldiers and starvation. On 2 August 1910, his remains were repatriated and buried at Kasubi . Mwanga is on record as having married 17 wives: Mwanga II fathered several sons and daughters from his 16 wives including Daudi Chwa II of Buganda : "I do not want to give them my land. I want all Europeans of all nations to come to Buganda, to build and to trade as they like." "I am Mutesa's son, and what Mutesa

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1888-574: The crown on 1 April 1893. On 27 August 1894, Mwanga was forced accept Buganda becoming a Protectorate. As a result, on 6 July 1897, he declared an anti-colonial war on the British and launched an attack but was defeated on 20 July 1897, in Buddu (in today's Masaka District ). He fled into German East Africa (modern-day Tanzania ), where he was arrested and interned at Bukoba . He was deposed in absentia on 9 August 1897. Tenacious and anti-imperialist as he was, he escaped and returned to Buganda with

1947-475: 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. The word Kabaka means ‘emissary’, and sometime in the past an overseer sent from Bunyoro had set himself up as an independent ruler. -Kabaka Mutesa II. By tradition, Baganda children take on

2006-523: The east, from the direction of Mount Elgon , and passed through Busoga on the way to Buganda. A separate tradition holds that the Ganda are the descendants of a people who came from the east or northeast around 1300. According to the traditions chronicled by Sir Apolo Kagwa , Buganda's foremost ethnographer , Kintu was the first Muganda, and having descended to Earth at Podi is said to have moved on to Kibiro , and having reached Kyadondo in Uganda's modern-day Wakiso District hav,e rmed Buganda there. As

2065-420: The experience or the prestige that had enabled his father to keep foreigners in their place within his kingdom." "Mwanga was quite right to seek to be the master in his own kingdom just as his forefathers had been, all his excesses and fault of character notwithstanding. Some of his predecessors had been guilty of worse acts of cruelty and injustice and nothing drastic had befallen them. In other words even if all

2124-553: The group through ceremonies and remembrances of ancestors. Most lineages maintained links to a home territory (obutaka) within a larger clan territory, but lineage members did not necessarily live on butaka land. Men from one lineage often formed the core of a village; their wives, children, and in-laws joined the village. People were free to leave if they became disillusioned with the local leader to take up residence with other relatives or in-laws, and they often did so. As of 2009, there are at least fifty two (52) recognised clans within

2183-447: The intruders for all his reign. He did not like or want them; he was impressed by their power, but not interested in their ideas. He could not recover the old way of life nor adapt himself to the new, and in his perplexed and unhappy groping in the gap between he seems to me to deserve some sympathy." "He had wanted to be master in his own house, but unfortunately for him and for the monarchy, chieftainship triumphed over royal authority in

2242-499: The kingdom along specially constructed roads which crossed streams and swamps by bridges and viaducts. On Lake Victoria (which the Ganda call Nnalubale), a royal navy of outrigger canoes, commanded by an admiral who was chief of the Lungfish clan, could transport Baganda commandos to raid any shore of the lake. The explorer John Speke, searching for the source of the Nile, had visited Buganda in

2301-562: The kingdom before being defeated once again in 1898 and being exiled to the Seychelles. Kabaka Mwanga II of Buganda was allowed near complete autonomy and a position as overlord of the other kingdoms. While in exile, Mwanga II was received into the Anglican Church, and baptized with the name Danieri (Daniel). He spent the rest of his life in exile. He died in 1903, aged 35 years. In 1910, his remains were repatriated and buried at Kasubi. The war against Kabaka Mwanga II had been expensive, and

2360-400: The kingdom of Buganda to introduce the Baganda people to Christianity. Between 1881 and 1890, the Baganda people started to convert to both Islam and Christianity. At Buganda's capital, Stanley found a well-ordered town of about 80,000 surrounding the king's palace, which was situated atop a commanding hill. A wall more than four kilometers in circumference surrounded the palace compound, which

2419-417: The kingdom was abolished by Uganda's first Prime Minister Milton Obote ,in 1966. Following years of disturbance under Obote and dictator Idi Amin, as well as several years of internal divisions among Uganda's ruling National Resistance Movement under Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda since 1986, the kingdom was finally restored in 1993. Buganda is now a kingdom monarchy with a large degree of autonomy from

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2478-494: The kingdom, the messengers were supplemented by drum signals. Stanley counted 125,000 troops marching off on a single campaign to the east, where a fleet of 230 war canoes waited to act as auxiliary naval support. The British in their colonial ventures were much impressed with the government as well as the society and economic organization of Buganda, which they ranked as the most advanced nation they had encountered in East Africa and ranked it with other highly advanced nations like

2537-466: The kingdom, with at least another four making a claim to clan status. Within this group of clans are four distinct sub-groups which reflect historical waves of immigration to Buganda. The family in Buganda is often described as a microcosm of the kingdom. The father is revered and obeyed as head of the family. His decisions are generally unquestioned. A man's social status is determined by those with whom he establishes patron/client relationships, and one of

2596-412: The lenses of his foes, those who took away the sovereignty of his country and their local collaborators is to miss him. He cannot be understood through the fairy tales of his enemies who denounced him." In early 2023, a social media trend emerged in Uganda and worldwide, featuring the name 'Kabaka-Mwanga.' The trend originated from a video shared on Ugandan social media platforms, in which a young boy from

2655-457: The missionaries were men banded together for the undermining of his authority, for sapping the affections and loyalty of his subjects and for ultimately occupying the whole of Buganda." "... there was, however, much good feeling and even tenderness in his character when he could be kept from bad habits and was free from evil influences." "Mwanga was a jovial, friendly person who had many friends." "Mwanga fought to free himself and his country of

2714-481: The name of the historical only surviving biological son of Kabaka Tebandeke who was named Juma Katebe. When the coronation of the material king is done, the coronation of the spiritual king (Juma Katebe) is also done. The Juma Katebe , the spiritual king, is involved in the traditional procedures to crown the new material king after the death of a reigning material king. The Juma Katebe’s spiritual power originates from Kabaka Tebandeke . The Juma Katebe regularly visits

2773-530: The new commissioner of Uganda in 1900, Sir Harry H. Johnston, had orders to establish an efficient administration and to levy taxes as quickly as possible. Sir Johnston approached the chiefs in Buganda with offers of jobs in the colonial administration in return for their collaboration. The chiefs did so but expected their interests (preserving Buganda as a self-governing entity, continuing the royal line of kabakas, and securing private land tenure for themselves and their supporters) to be met. After much hard bargaining,

2832-499: The ones they had encountered in Zimbabwe and Nigeria. Under Kabaka Mwanga II , Buganda became a protectorate in 1894. This did not last, and the Kabaka declared war on Britain on July 6, 1897. He was defeated at the Battle of Buddu on July 20 of the same year. He fled to German East Africa, where he was arrested and interned at Bukoba. The Kabaka later escaped and led a rebel army to retake

2891-442: The other kingdoms (Toro in 1900, Ankole in 1901, and Bunyoro in 1933) without the provision of large-scale private land tenure. Following Uganda's independence in 1962, the kingdom was abolished by Ugandas first Prime Minister, Milton Obote, in 1966. Following years of disturbance under Obote and dictator Idi Amin, as well as several years of internal divisions among Uganda's ruling National Resistance Movement under Yoweri Museveni ,

2950-402: The reign of Muteesa I (1856–1884), diminished to around a 1.5 million as a result of famine and civil war. By the early 1900s, their population had been reduced to around one million as a result of an epidemic of sleeping sickness . Changes to Bugandan society, the first major change being the introduction of a standing army during Muteesa I's reign, were accelerated when Buganda became

3009-405: The royal clan has no totem which is something that all other Baganda clans have. However, the totem should not be confused with the clan. The totem is just a symbol but the clan is a matter of genealogy. The royal clan has its own genealogy traced along the patrilineal line, extending all the way back to Kintu. The firstborn prince, by tradition called Kiweewa , is not allowed to become king. That

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3068-458: The spiritual king. Juma Katebe (sometimes spelt Juma Kateebe) held the spiritual priesthood which was originally part of the throne of the Kabaka. Since the death of Kabaka Tebandeke , the two lines of kings have been in perpetual succession to date. Juma Katebe is king over the spirits or the spiritual forces of the Buganda kingdom . The current reigning spiritual king is also named "Juma Katebe" after

3127-524: The time of the British colonial take-over as having become uncontrollable at some stage during their respective reigns. This is something Mwanga never became." "No Kabaka of Buganda had ever faced the challenges that Mwanga faced, dealing with mighty religious parties which eventually drove him from the throne and his kingdom." "Mwanga II should be judged within the context of nineteenth century Buganda, where kings had absolute executive, legislative, judicial, military and even economic power. To see him through

3186-523: Was Buganda's last Powerful Kabaka. After his reign, the Buganda Kingdom's influence in the region was significantly weakened. Kabaka Mwanga II was betrayed by some of his Mengo confidants, who collaborated with colonial British Bazungu to exile the Kabaka to the Seychelles Islands , where he later died as a loner. It was under these circumstances that Buganda Land was divided among regents and

3245-436: Was born at Nakawa on 3 June 1868. His father was Muteesa I of Buganda , who reigned between 1856 and 1884. His mother was Abakyala Abisagi Bagalayaze, the 10th of his father's 85 wives. He ascended to the throne on 18 October 1884, after the death of his father. He established his capital on Mengo Hill . Mwanga came to the throne at the age of 16. He increasingly regarded the greatest threat to his rule as coming from

3304-427: 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. The following are the known Kings of Buganda, starting from around 1300 AD. "The Kiganda Monarchy in its purest form ended with Suuna; under Mutesa I, it

3363-446: Was filled with grass-roofed houses, meeting halls, and storage buildings. At the entrance to the court burned the royal gombolola (fire), which would only be extinguished when the Kabaka died. Thronging the grounds were foreign ambassadors seeking audiences, chiefs going to the royal advisory council, messengers running errands, and a corps of young pages, who served the Kabaka while training to become future chiefs. For communication across

3422-512: Was in Buganda that I will also be, and against those who will not have it so I shall make war." "The English have come; they have built a fort; they eat my land; they have made me sign a treaty; they curtail my powers; and I get nothing from them in return." " Abalangira timba buli afuluma amira munne. " [Princes are like pythons they swallow each other.] "When I die it will be the end of the kingdom of Buganda. Europeans will take over (eat) this country of mine." "To his (Mwanga's) distorted view

3481-457: Was scorched; and under Mwanga it was destroyed." "Whatever else divided the Baganda; they were united under the institution of Kabaka and derived their pride from service to the Kabaka and nation." kabaka appointment with conservative people in the buganda Mwanga II of Buganda Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa (1868 – 8 May 1903) was the 31st Kabaka of Buganda who ruled from 1884 until 1888 and from 1889 until 1897. He

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