{UAH} A SAMPLE OF A HISTORY OF BWIRU?BUDDU AND BWERA/MAWOGOLA WILL BE

Ssembabule District is the Metropolitan of the kingdom of Bwera under Abamooli dynasty, a break away group from Ababiito dynasty of the kingdom of Bunyoro. Bwera was founded by Kiheesi, who is said to have been given a war drum of water back called Lusama which was said to have been the drum of Ndahura, the first Muchwezi king of Bunyoro-Kitara Empire. (M. Ponanky in Uganda Journal, 33, 2 (1969) PP 125 - 150. "Until recently the drum or later replica of it was kept in Makoole near Katonga a few miles from Bigo. Makole was for a time being, the saza headquarters of Mawogola County, Kihesi is said to have acquired the name Bareremwa and established the kingdom of Bwera." (M. Posnansky, 1969: 125-150) .

 

 

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According to M. Posnansky, Bwera is said to have remained quasi independent through out the 19^th century and in 1892, Lugard stipulated that it should remain so. It was incorporated into Buganda in 1899 and confirmed as such in 1900 Uganda Agreement. Kabaka Junju is said to have tried to conquer Bwera (around 1797) but failed and to which his brother Ssemakookiro took flight. He is supposed to have rewarded one of the Bannabwera called Kahera (Kyera) by giving him the district of Bulondioganyi (Bugerere) in Kyaggwe, where his successors remained as cattle keeping people. Kabaka Mwanga in 1896 also took refuge in vicinity of Bigo (All contained in historical files collected by Masaka District Administration from 1908-1962, now deposited with Makerere University College Library).

 

According to E.G. Lanning:1954: 28) Bwera remained unsettled until 1900 when it was incorporated in Buganda by Uganda Agreement. The events leading up to its absorption are worthy of note.

 

It was in 1899 that Kabaka Mwanga fleeing from Buddu entered Bwera. With Capt. Sitwell, he encamped on Bukongote Hill, South of Bigo earthworks. Having already engaged the enemy, once Sitwell finally came upon Mwanga's rear guard on 4^th March 1898, as it was crossing the Katonga and engaged it. The elusive Mwanga, had, however, already fled north, and wit well had to be content, with entering in his dairy for that day. "Mwanga is reported to have crossed by Nanzigombe's crossing" C.C. H. Sitwell, Uganda Dairy, 1895-1899. MS Secretariat Library, Entebbe. Following this action, Sitwell's Baganda levies overran Bwera which from that time, ceased to be an independent state. (Masaka District Minute Paper H/8).

 

Omwami J. L. Kagugube (latterly of the Uganda Medical Service), grandson of Nanzigombe, hereditary Omulangira of the area Nabubale (Mubende District), and a portion of present day Mawogola (Masaka District), as far as Lwentale, Muntu, a brother of Nanzigombe, was recognized as ruler of the portion of Bwera south of Lwentale including a small part of Buddu."

 

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According to M.B. Nsimbi in Amannya Amaganda n'ennono zaago (1982), the saza headquarters was transferred from Makoole to Ssembabule. The Bamooli dynasty was recognized as Abengabi Emmooli, with Muntu, as the clan leader. He was given a Mailo-Estate at Bulera, the seat of his clan, and at Kyebando, eight kilometers on Masaka-Mubende high way. However in 1901, Andreya Luwandagga was appointed as the first Saza Chief of Mawogola.

 

In 1974, the Military Government under the then general, Idi Amin Dada, restructured local administrations. Uganda was divided into 10 provinces and over 40 districts. South Buganda province was made up of Buddu, Mawogola Kooki, Ssese and Kabula counties, with headquarters at Masaka. Buddu became a district with Mawogola as a sub district. Mawogola itself was divided into two counties of Mawogola and Lwemiyaga.

 

The sub district status was scrapped off after the fall of Idi Amin regime to Tanzanian Forces and Ugandan exiles in 1979. The provincial administrations were abolished and Buddu turned back to Masaka District covering it with Mawogola and Ssese. In 1988, a sub district status was reinstated by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government with appointment of Mrs. Margaret Baryehuki as Assistant District Administrator Masaka, in charge of Ssembabule sub district. It became a district by a resolution of Parliament in 1997.

 

According to Prof. Ssemakula Kiwanuka, A History of Buganda from State Formation of 1900, Ssembabule District was the Kingdom of Bwera under Abamooli dynasty which broke away from Ababiito dynasty of the Kingdom of Bunyoro.

 

It was a district in a larger Buddu Province. When Buddu fell from Bunyoro to Buganda in the late 18^th century subsequently; Bwera also fell to Buganda and by 1900, had become Mawogola County.

 

 

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According to Ssemakula Kiwanuka, That the banks of River Katonga a boarder line between Bwera and Buddu on one hand, and Gomba, Butambala and Mawokota counties on the other, were under the dynasties of Abagabo and Abazanzi. That clearly indicates how heterogeneous present Ssembabule District is.

 

According to A Thousand years of Bunyoro - Kitara, A History of People and Rulers (1995) by Prof. John Barongo, Bwiru (Buddu) and Bwera, were the same. When it fell from Bunyoro to Buganda, Bwera also did the same.

 

According to East Africa through a Thousand Years by S. Were and Wilson (1982) Buddu, Bwera (Mawogola) and Kooki were some of the counties Buganda conquered from Bunyoro.

 

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