Only Busoga chiefs have say on new Kyabazinga

By Magemeso Namungalu

THERE is talk that political heavyweights have infiltrated the process of selecting the next Kyabazinga of Busoga to replace Henry Wako Muloki, who died last month. Will Busoga nod to the wishes of those heavyweights?

Busoga’s trademark response to authority is “Omwami kyakoba zena kyenkoba”, meaning “What the chief has said is what I go with.” However simplistic that may appear, Busoga elders say it is not easy to say how a traditional Musoga will respond.

President Yoweri Museveni said he wanted Kirunda Kivejinja for the Bugweri seat and Basoga in chorus said: “Bbe! Iffe twenda Abdu Katuntu,” meaning that, “No! We want Abdu Katuntu.”

The Baganda who have been in fellowship with Basoga for long know this: A traditional Muganda will tell his stubborn child: “Nawe toleta wano mputu yabasoga,” meaning, “Don’t bring here stubbornness of the Basoga people.”

On his way back to England, British explorer Henry Stanley went through Busoga. He was perplexed to find that Busoga had 11 hereditary paramount chiefs yet there was no political strife or tribal wars. He was illusioned that Basoga were simplistic.

Stanley’s countrymen who followed him to Uganda were able to discover that Basoga were not simplistic. One colonial district commissioner of Busoga wrote in his diary, “Tribesmen of Busoga are not easy. When a Musoga says ‘Bbe’ (no), it is ‘bbe.’ Other people who have carefully observed Basoga say when you tell a Musoga something he does not like, he simply answers: “Mpirita”, connoting, “I am sleeping; I have not heard.”

In the past, Basoga stubbornly rejected wars and opted for promoting peace. The NRA war was partly fought in districts neighbouring Busoga which were part of the Luweero Triangle, such as Mukono, but Basoga said no to war. The Lakwena war reached Busoga and the Uganda People’s Army was fought in the neighbourhood but the Basoga said ‘Bbe’ and maintained peace.

Now there is talk that President Museveni has interest in the Kyabazinga succession process; that Rebecca Kadaga has her own candidate and that Kivejinja has another candidate. Which Musoga has ever prevented anybody’s contribution to Busoga?

However, Basoga know that the making of a Kyabazinga is the business of the 11 hereditary paramount chiefs: Gabula of Bugabula; Zibondo of Bulamogi; Nkono of Bukono; Ngobi of Kigulu; Tabingwa of Luwuka; Menyha of Bugweri; Wakoli of Bukoli; Kisiki of Busiki; Nanyhumba of Bunyhole; Luba of Bunyha and Ntembe of Butembe.
Kisiki, Nanyhumba, Luba and Ntembe are not Baise Ngobi or Balangira (royal clan) and, therefore, cannot become Kyabazinga. Menyha and Wakoli broke some traditional rules and are under punishment not to become Kyabazinga.
This leaves only Gabula, Zibondo, Ngobi, Tabingwa and Nkono to produce candidates for the Kyabazinga. There is nothing wrong with this. Every community has its norms. For example, the Kabaka of Buganda takes his mother’s clan and not his father’s.

While creating the institution nearly 100 years ago, a schedule of succession to Kyabazingaship was drawn. The first Kyabazinga was Zibondo. He was expected to be succeeded by Gabula; after Gabula the throne was to go to Ngobi then Tabingwa and then Nkono. A new circle would then start, but room was left for change. The next important question is: When will Ngobi, Taingwa or Nkono become Kyabazinga?

Museveni has said Kyabazinga Muloki was good to him — who does not like someone who is good to him? There are press reports that the President has enticed those concerned to ensure that Museveni’s good man’s spirit (Kyabazinga Muloki) continues hovering around Kyabazingaship.

Museveni is free to “kukoba” (say) anything, but whether the Basoga will come out with a sincere “Omwami kyakoba zena kyenkoba” is another thing. In 1980, the president general of the Democratic Party, Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, thought that at last he had been able to ‘kukoba’ and the Basoga had answered, “Omwami kyakoba zena kyenkoba.”

However, Ssemogerere later was shocked when all MPs except Yoweri Kyesimira returned to their home, the Uganda Peoples Congress.
The Basoga discovered from their ancestors the secret of negotiation and compromise. When a Musoga is happy with you, he will sing for you. When he is unhappy with you, he will also sing for you.

Therefore, if anyone has been able to ‘kukoba’ Edward Wambuzi Muloki and the Basoga’s answer is, “Omwami kyakoba zena kyenkoba,” how permanent will that be?

The writer is a former editor-in-chief of the Uganda News Agency and chief news editor of Radio Uganda