Busoga kingdom is uniquely an elective monarchy among the BaSoga people of Uganda based around Jinja City. The BaSoga are a bantu speaking tribe and are the third largest ethnic group in Uganda. They were formally organised into chiefdoms until 1918/1919 when the 11 chiefdoms each ruled by their respective chiefs came together to elect among themselves an overall monarch for the Kingdom organisation called Bu-Soga (Land of the Soga).
The King is locally titled Isebantu Kyabazinga whose seat is elective for life and rotational between the chiefs of the 11 chiefdoms below.
Royal Titles
- King – Isebantu Kyabazinga (Isebantu means father of the people)
- Queen – Inhebantu (means mother of the people)
- Chief of Bugabula – title is Gabula
- Chief of Bulamogi – title is Zibondo
- Chief of Kigulu – title is Ngobi
- Chief of Luuka- title is Tabingwa
- Chief of Bukono – title is Nkono
- Chief of Bukooli – title is Wakooli
- Chief of Butembe – title is Ntembe
- Chief of Bugweri – title is Menha
- Chief of Busiki – title is Kisiki
- Chief of Bunha – title is Luba
- Chief of Bunhole – title is Nanhumba
- Prime Minister – title is Katukiro
Kings of BuSoga Kingdom
- Kyabazinga Ezekiel Tenywa Wako – 1939 to 1949
- Kyabazinga William Wilberforce Nadiope II – 1949 to 1955 also served as first vice president of Uganda
- Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki – 1955 to 1967
- Interregnum 1967 – 1995
- Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki – 1995 to 2008
- Kyabazinga Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV – 2014 to present
The current HM Isebantu Kyabazinga since 2014 is William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV who is also Gabula of Bugabula chiefdom. His official residence is the Igenge royal palace at Jinja town.
Photos ; Flag-John Duncan McMeekin Kingdom page : Twitter
HRH Queen (Inhebantu) Jovia Mutesi is the wife and queen consort to HM King (Isebantu Kyabazinga) William Wilberforce gabula Nadiope IV of BuSoga kingdom, Uganda. They married in September 2023 and Royal wedding in November
Kingdom Structure and Organisation
Busoga Kingdom is a cultural institution which promotes popular participation and unity among the people of the region through development programs to improve their standard of living. The Kingdom therefore has a structure with the Kyabazinga at the top, 11 chiefs, traditional parliament with prime minister, ministries with ministers, deputy ministers etc that run the government business for the betterment of the kingdom
Royal Palaces
- Igenge palace or Kyabazinga palace located on Igenge hill Bugembe Town Council in Jinja District is the official Kyabazinga Royal Palace which was built by the Ugandan government for the monarchy. The Kyabazinga Royal Palace is the perfect place to learn about Busoga culture, traditions, and the royal kingdom. Today, tourists are allowed to visit the Kyabazinga and the palace.
- Budhumbula palace is a royal residence of the King (Kyabazinga) of Busoga Kingdom, Uganda. On its grounds is also the royal farm which is a model for agricultural productvity of various crops and livestock. It is situated 2 kilometres from Kamuli Town along the Jinja-Kamuli highway. At this cultural site, one can find a shrine and the former residence of the former Kyabazinga (King) of Busoga Kingdom-Sir William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope. He passed on in 1976. At the Shrine are also graves of also other members of the Royal family like the former King and Queen (Nadiope’s mother and father)-Nadiope (father) and Nansikombi (mother). Former Uganda government minister Wilson Nadiope (who died in 1991), and his mother, Yuliya Babirye Nadiope (who died in 2004). The main palace residence is a legacy of the British colonial government, which donated it in 1914.
- Bugembe palace was built in 1965 under Sir William Wilberforce Nadiope. It was looted by Idi Amin’s troops in the middle of the 1970s.
Kyabazinga Day
Kyabazinga day is celebrated annually on February 11 by the BaSoga as a commemoration of when the 11 Busoga chiefdoms came together in 1939 to form Busoga kingdom and appointed a King or Isebantu Kyabazinga as monarch.
© The African Royal Families. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
You must be logged in to post a comment.