Who should eat the gizzard?

Arthur Ssekankya Quality Assurance manager for Bon Apetit, which serves fried chicken on Dewinton Road
“We do not sell gizzards here. We have always fronted a traditional menu, so it would be embarrassing to serve gizzard to a female client because culturally women should not eat them. Rather than refusing to serve gizzards to a female client who orders for them we rather not sell them. Besides, our upscale, corporate clientele do not like them. So, whenever we are preparing chicken here, we remove all the gizzards and send them over to other take-aways in town. But I worked at Uganda Care (a local NGO) before; and the female employees there often insisted that the caterer bring them gizzard, matooke and rice for lunch. Men did not emphasise it that much.”

Nalongo Kezia Bukirwa traditional food restaurateur
“It was a taboo for any Muganda woman to eat chicken, so the gizzard was out of the question. She risked being called a thief, and getting battered, if she ever served chicken to her husband at home minus nkokonkulu. I still do not eat chicken. But times have changed, so I add the nkokonkulu to every luwombo these days, be it for a man or for a woman.”

Kenneth Musoke proprietor for Ketra Phone giants
“I expect to be served the nkokonkulu if I buy a cock at home. It has always been that away and I do not have to ask my wife for it. The gizzard only goes missing from my plate when we have hosted a special family friend or a male in-law from upcountry.”

Peter Semakula, 74, Retired civil servant
The nkokonkulu was originally reserved for the muko (son-in-law) at a kwanjula and was hidden somewhere in the banana fronds. If, by the time he finished eating, he had not yet found it, he would never eat from the in-laws’ home again. Serving chicken luwombo minus the gizzard to a muko was considered a gesture of hospitality.

Bernard Byamukama of Africa Pot Restaurant, Najjanankumbi
“The gizzard is the most highly demanded part of a chicken at the restaurant. It is mostly demanded by the men. We serve it with the chicken back.”

Lubega Ssebende, presenter for Entanda ya Buganda on CBS FM
Eating the gizzard was a symbol of the man’s pride and authority as the head of the house. He would not even share it with his sons. This is because it was distinct from the rest of the chicken. Women were never allowed to eat chicken.”

Waiter at Uhuru restaurant
“We fry gizzards and they are such a big time favourite among the ladies who come here. By 2:00pm, they are finished. Men do not care about them that much.”

Hilary Baguma, Kampala businessman
“In my home, with or without a guest, I am the one who should eat the gizzard. If my wife gives it to the male guest, this means she may be cheating on me.”

Compiled by Titus Serunjogi