Kyabazinga rift continues
Jun 06, 2011
FOR nearly three years now, Busoga has been shrouded in a row over who should become the next Kyabazinga (king) and all signs show that the standoff is not about to end.
By Frank Mugabi
FOR nearly three years now, Busoga has been shrouded in a row over who should become the next Kyabazinga (king) and all signs show that the standoff is not about to end.
The last Kyabazinga, Henry Wako Muloki, passed on aged, 87 on September 1, 2008. Since then, there has been no consensus among the tribesmen on who should assume the throne.
Instead, the subjects have been divided into two factions, one supporting Prince Edward Columbus Wambuzi Muloki (son to the late Muloki) and the other backing Prince William Gabula Nadiope IV for the crown.
The rest of the world has been left wondering how the row emerged, let alone how two princes could be pitted against each other for a traditional cultural seat.
Unlike most monarchies, where the heir to the king is automatically enthroned, in Busoga the Kyabazinga is only elected.
The kingdom’s constitution restricts the polling rights to members of the Chiefs Royal Council, an organ comprising eleven hereditary chiefs who head the eleven chiefdoms in the kingdom.
Furthermore, among these chiefdoms, only those from Kigulu, Luuka, Bukono, Bulamogi and Bugabula are eligible for election to the post of Kyabazinga.
Following Muloki’s burial, members of the royal council convened at the kingdom headquarters at Bugembe in Jinja district on October 31, 2008 to have a successor to the throne.
After deliberations that were marred by controversy, Wambuzi was announced the new Kyabazinga. Some hereditary chiefs boycotted the elections and this marked the beginning of the dispute.
The chief of Bugweri chiefdom, Fred Menhya Kakaire, lodged a petition at the High Court in Jinja on grounds that Wambuzi had been elected without quorum.
He secured a court injunction against Wambuzi’s coronation, although some kingdom officials went ahead and installed Wambuzi as Kyabazinga on June 7, 2009.
Seven of the 11 hereditary chiefs did not attend the function.
Later, the dissatisfied royal chiefs, led by the Isabalangira (chief prince), David Kawunhe Wakhooli Musitwa, convened at Busoga Square, an open-air arena at the district headquarters in Jinja town, and elected Gabula as a parallel Kyabazinga.
Hordes of people thronged the venue, while many others lay on the ground requesting the new Kyabazinga to walk over their backs as he headed to the kingdom’s headquarters at Bugembe.
The function, which turned out to be a huge public relations pull off for Gabula, was held in defiance of a court injunction that Wambuzi had earlier secured from the High Court.
After learning that some people were planning a parallel election, Wambuzi secured a court injunction restraining Wakhooli and other chiefs from electing another Kyabazinga.
Since then, several attempts have been made to crown Gabula as Kyabazinga and have always floped.
Meanwhile, another row has been simmering among the eleven hereditary chiefs with some accusing the chiefs from Balamogi and Gabula of dominating the seat that was meant to be held on a rotational basis.
The dissatisfied group, particularly believes it is time to let other chiefdoms have their turn at the throne.
FOR nearly three years now, Busoga has been shrouded in a row over who should become the next Kyabazinga (king) and all signs show that the standoff is not about to end.
The last Kyabazinga, Henry Wako Muloki, passed on aged, 87 on September 1, 2008. Since then, there has been no consensus among the tribesmen on who should assume the throne.
Instead, the subjects have been divided into two factions, one supporting Prince Edward Columbus Wambuzi Muloki (son to the late Muloki) and the other backing Prince William Gabula Nadiope IV for the crown.
The rest of the world has been left wondering how the row emerged, let alone how two princes could be pitted against each other for a traditional cultural seat.
Unlike most monarchies, where the heir to the king is automatically enthroned, in Busoga the Kyabazinga is only elected.
The kingdom’s constitution restricts the polling rights to members of the Chiefs Royal Council, an organ comprising eleven hereditary chiefs who head the eleven chiefdoms in the kingdom.
Furthermore, among these chiefdoms, only those from Kigulu, Luuka, Bukono, Bulamogi and Bugabula are eligible for election to the post of Kyabazinga.
Following Muloki’s burial, members of the royal council convened at the kingdom headquarters at Bugembe in Jinja district on October 31, 2008 to have a successor to the throne.
After deliberations that were marred by controversy, Wambuzi was announced the new Kyabazinga. Some hereditary chiefs boycotted the elections and this marked the beginning of the dispute.
The chief of Bugweri chiefdom, Fred Menhya Kakaire, lodged a petition at the High Court in Jinja on grounds that Wambuzi had been elected without quorum.
He secured a court injunction against Wambuzi’s coronation, although some kingdom officials went ahead and installed Wambuzi as Kyabazinga on June 7, 2009.
Seven of the 11 hereditary chiefs did not attend the function.
Later, the dissatisfied royal chiefs, led by the Isabalangira (chief prince), David Kawunhe Wakhooli Musitwa, convened at Busoga Square, an open-air arena at the district headquarters in Jinja town, and elected Gabula as a parallel Kyabazinga.
Hordes of people thronged the venue, while many others lay on the ground requesting the new Kyabazinga to walk over their backs as he headed to the kingdom’s headquarters at Bugembe.
The function, which turned out to be a huge public relations pull off for Gabula, was held in defiance of a court injunction that Wambuzi had earlier secured from the High Court.
After learning that some people were planning a parallel election, Wambuzi secured a court injunction restraining Wakhooli and other chiefs from electing another Kyabazinga.
Since then, several attempts have been made to crown Gabula as Kyabazinga and have always floped.
Meanwhile, another row has been simmering among the eleven hereditary chiefs with some accusing the chiefs from Balamogi and Gabula of dominating the seat that was meant to be held on a rotational basis.
The dissatisfied group, particularly believes it is time to let other chiefdoms have their turn at the throne.