A Royal Wedding as The Kyabazinga Of Busoga Takes A Bride

It is probably not since 1999 when the Kabaka of Buganda (Busoga’s larger neighbor to the south), Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II got married, that Uganda has seen a wedding that has captured the country’s popular imagination like this.

Last Saturday (18th Nov) was a once-in-a-lifetime event for millions of Basoga across the world and well-wishers when the 4th Kyabazinga, William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV, said “I do” to a Ugandan lawyer, Jovia Mutesi, 31.

Although no figures were available on how many people across the world tuned in, all the proceedings, from the marriage ceremony at the Bugembe Christ’s Cathedral in Jinja, to the reception at the newly renovated Igenge Palace, were covered live by all major news networks in Uganda, and were live on social media.

The hype may not have reached the levels of, say, when Prince Harry married Meghan Markle; but the first wedding of a reigning Kyabazinga meant a lot to his subjects, not least because it has somehow settled an uneasy period in the youngest of the four ‘big’ kingdoms in the country.

Gabula only became Kyabazinga in 2014, after a long and contentious attempt to choose a new Kyabazinga after the incumbent, Henry Muloki, died in 2008. It took 6 years before the chiefs could agree on a new Kyabazinga, and much of the delay is blamed on political interference.

Busoga is made up of eleven chiefdoms, each with a hereditary ruler. Originally the Kyabazingaship, an elective role, was supposed to rotate among 5 chiefs who trace their origins to Bunyoro-Kitara, with each one serving a term of a limited number of years. However, after Muloki regained the post in 1995 with the restoration of kingdoms, the chiefs decided he would rule for life.  

Before the British colonialists established effective rule, the area known as Busoga consisted of 11 hereditary chiefdoms, with five of the leaders tracing their ancestry directly from Bunyoro, and the other six from Buganda. But they had no king.

In 1894, the Colonial administrator in charge of Busoga, William Grant, formed a council (the Lukiiko) of all the chiefs, which he chaired. But because of language challenges, the Muganda general Semei Kakungulu, fresh off the capture of deposed kings Mwanga and Kabalega, was appointed to lead the council. But when Kakungulu subsequently tried to declare himself king, he was dismissed in 1905.

The eleven chiefs then elected, from amongst themselves, someone to represent them at the seat of the colonial government. They changed the leader’s title first to ‘President’, and then later coined the title Kyabazinga.

In 1939 the first Kyabazinga, Ezekiel Tenywa Wako from Bulamogi, was elected and served until 1949. Then William Wilberforce Nadiope II from Bugabula served until 1955, when Wako’s son, Henry Wako Muloki, was elected. He served till 1962 when Nadiope came back into power. Nadiope would serve until 1967 when all kingdoms in Uganda were abolished by the then President, Milton Obote.

When kingdoms were re-established in 1995, Muloki returned as Kyabazinga until his death in 2008. Then came the period when the Kayabazingaship was contested between Muloki’s son, Edward Columbus Wambuzi Zibondo XIII, and Gabula, grandson of Nadiope II.

Wambuzi was elected Kyabazinga in 2008, but this was not recognized by a majority of the chiefs and so was never enthroned. Thus a vacuum ensued till 13 September 2014, when Gabula Nadiope IV was installed as Kyabazinga. The two rivals were later said to have reconciled after Wambuzi paid a courtesy visit to Gabula at his home in Bugabula in September 2020.

Apart from the period 1967-1995 when all kingdoms in Uganda were abolished, this was the longest time in over 80 years that Busoga did not have a substantive Kyabazinga. So the occasion of the 4th Kyabazinga’s wedding was a time to not only celebrate his wedding, but also when the whole of Busoga came together as one.

The many Basoga interviewed by the various news networks had one thing to say to them all, ‘Obusoga bulaire’ (Busoga is calm).

To mark that unity, ‘parallel’ celebrations were held in each of the 11 chiefdoms, including Bulamogi, seat of the rival Wambuzi. The others are Bugweli, Bukholi, Bukono, Bugabula, Bunhole, Bunyha, Busiki, Butembe, Kigulu and Luuka.

No official figures are readily available, but the wedding made more than just the people of Busoga happy, it made many businesses happy, too. Touted as the tourist capital of Uganda, most hotels and guest houses in and around the city of Jinja reported full houses, and pubs and clubs around the city opened till the next morning as celebrations went on unabated.

Hundreds of dancing Basoga lined the roads as the Kyabazinga left his palace to go to the church, and more followed the bride-to-be, so much that she was delayed and reached the church later than planned.

Even more people followed the two newlyweds as they left the church in an open carriage and headed to the Igenge palace, where the reception was held. But a planned procession through the city was cancelled due to security concerns.

The other three constitutional kingdoms were represented by their respective queens: Nabagereka Sylvia Nagginda of Buganda, Best Kemigisha, the Queen Mother of Tooro and Omugo Margaret Adyeri Karunga of Bunyoro. The Nabagereka was one of the witnesses to the wedding.

The Vice President, Jessica Alupo, represented the President; while the President’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, reportedly a close friend of the Kyabazinga, attended the reception.

Over 1,000 special invited guests attended the reception, which went on till past midnight.

It might be rated as the poorest region in Uganda, but over the weekend it was all joy and happiness as the Basoga celebrated the wedding of their Kyabazinga, and to a hopefully brighter future.

‍