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Buganda

Buganda is the kingdom of the 52 clans of the Baganda people, the largest of the four traditional kingdoms in present-day Uganda. There is still some contention on the fifth kingdom Nkore.

Organised and ruled by a king called the Kabaka , the Baganda formed the political kernel of the future country, Uganda. It is now a constitutional monarchy, with a parliament called Lukiiko that sits in parliamentary buildings called Bulange . The Lukiiko has a sergeant-at-arms, speaker and provisional seats for the royals, 18 county chiefs, cabinet ministers, 52 clan heads, invited guests and a gallery. The Kabaka only attends two sessions in a year; once when he is openning the first session of the year and twice, when he is closing the last session of the year.


Buganda covers the land immediately to the north of Lake Victoria, extending slightly to the south west. It was formerly the name of a province in Uganda. The Luganda language is widely spoken there (also by others than the Baganda), for example in Kampala.

Originally a vassal state of Bunyoro it grew rapidly in power in the eighteenth and nineteenth century becoming the dominant state in the region. It became the closest ally of Great Britain in the region and rose as British power increased in the region. Buganda was given a great deal of control over the other kingdoms in the protectorate: Toro, Nkore, Busoga and Bunyoro. When the colony became an independent state, on 9th October 1962, it was named Uganda, the Swahili name of Buganda and its Kabaka, Sir Edward Muteesa II (king Freddie), became the first president. However, the monarchy and much of Buganda's autonomy was revoked, along with that of the other 4 Ugandan kingdoms, in 1967, after Prime Minister Dr. Apollo Milton Obote abrogated the 1966 constitution and turned the state into a Republic. (Prime Minister Apollo Milton Obote ordered an attack on king Freddie's palace on 24th May 1966, forcing king Fredddie into exile in Britain). The monarchy was restored in 1993. The present kabaka, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, was coronated on 31st July, 1993, in a world wide publicised ceremony.

Kings of Buganda

  • Kintu , late fourteenth century
  • Chwa I , early fifteenth century
  • Kimera , 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 , Namugala , and Kyabaggu , c.1744-c.1771
  • Jjunju and Ssemakokiro , c.1771-1797
  • Ssemakokiro (alone), c.1797-1814
  • Kamanya , 1814-1836
  • Ssuuna II , 1836-1856
  • Muteesa I , 1856-1884
  • Mwanga II, 1884-1888
  • Kiwewa Mutebi II , 1888
  • Kalema . 1888-1889
  • Mwanga II (2nd time) 1889-1897
  • Daudi Chwa , 1897-1939
  • Muteesa II , 1939-1969
  • Interregnum 1969-1993
  • Muwenda Mutebi II , 1993-present

Election of Kings:

Buganda has no crown prince concept. All the princes are treated in the same way 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. This council then makes its recommendations to the reigning king, on who of the princes can be a suitable king. The reigning king then makes a choice and the name of the 'king-to-be' prince is kept secret by the special council until the death of the reigning king. In a special ceremony, the pre-elected prince is given a special piece of bark cloth secretly by the head of the special verification council and when all the princes and princeses are called upon to view the body of the late king lying in state, the pre-elected prince lays the special piece of bark cloth over the body of the late king. This is the moment when all present will know the successor to the late king.

By tradition, in Buganda, children take on the clan of their biological fathers. However, in the case of princes and princesses, they take on the clan of their biological mothers. This is so, in order to ensure that each of the 52 clans of Baganda get a chance of producing a future king of Buganda. Thus, there is no previlaged clan in Buganda as far as production of kings is concerned because 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 so in order to protect him against any attempted assasinations 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 anonymous.

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