{UAH} ANKOLE KINGDOM HISTORY: A NEW PERSPECTIVE:

ANKOLE KINGDOM HISTORY: A NEW PERSPECTIVE:

ANKOLE KINGS

1. Ruhinda Rwajunaki (Rubambansi)

2. Nkuba ya'Rurama

3. Nyika 

4. Ntare I

Nyabugaro 

5. Rushango

6. Ntare II Kagwejegyera - Mishango

7. Ntare III Rugamba Namaju

8. Kasasira 

9. Kiteera

10. Rumongye

11. Mirindi 

12. Ntare IV - Kitabanyoro

13. Machwa 

14. Rwabirere 

15. Karaara

16. Karaiga 

17. Kahaya I

18. Nyakashaija 

19. Bwarenga 

20. Rwebishengye

21. Kayungu 

22. Rwanga 

23. Gasyonga I 

24. Mutambuka (1847 - 1870)

25. Ntare V (1870 - 1895) 

26. Kahaya II ( 1898 - 1844) 

27. Rutahaba Gasyonga II

============

The Issues of Ankole Kingdom have been

rediscovered herein. After the Death of Ntare V in 1895, a battle ensued between his brother Kahaya II and the children of the late King headed by Igumira between 1895 and 1897. This period had a caretaker called Mukwenda.

Kahaya overpowered them and in fear for their lives the children of the late King were taken through Mpororo to Busongola by a soldier called Mpulunguse sent by the Kingdom of Buganda then. Kahaya ruled up to 1944 from

1897. Kahaya had a prime minister called Nuha

Mbaguta who worked hand in hand with

colonialists to extend their rule into and

among the people of Ankole using divide

and rule. This prime minister impregnated the King's wife called Maziina and gave birth to Mirindi. In anger the King tried to chase Mbaguta who

by then was the darling of the British. This

led to the king's death, which presented an opportunity for the Prime minister Mbaguta to revenge. He started the battle to take away the throne from the

rightful descendants. In fact a case was filed in the East African court of appeal and the

colonialists decided to vote in the king as a

solution. A one Katanywa represented the clan of the

royals Bahinda since the rightful people

apparent to the throne were in exile in Kasese, Mirindi the child of the prime minister came in

to divert the attention as another candidate.

The favourite of the colonialists Empitsi

Eribarya Charles Rutahaba Godfrey later known as Gasyonga emerged the winner with

22 votes difference. His father was called

Ibrahim Rwakatogobo son to Nkuranga son

Maparanga who had migrated as a cattle

keepers into Ankole. He won because he was most educated among others.

However, the Kingdom of Ankole from

Ruhaanga has never been elective. Gasyonga gave birth to John Barigye the father of Aryaija Rwebishengye. 

The Royal children of

the late Ntare V lived in current

Kasese. Those who left running away from their Uncle

Kahaya were Byabagambi, Nkabigumira ,

Nkabisigarira and their elder sister Nakahima.

The true lineage of Ankole kingdom which some people have tried but failed to erase is;

Ntare V gave birth to Nkabisigarira who gave

birth to Murengyera who gave birth to

Byabagambi who gave birth to Nkabisigarira

was Kabiri that gave birth to Edrisa Kaweesa

(Igumira Kitobobo) that gave birth to Umaru Asiimwe the person who should be the King of Ankole today. This claim is for those

who support Umaru Asiimwe, while there is

another group of people who support the

family of John Barigye.

Ankole identity suffered divisions brought

by religion, ways of life and the disaster of

Nuha Mbaguta who worked hand in hand with colonialists to ensure these divisions are more pronounced than the identity and pride.

The supporters of the Nuha Mbaguta

innovations registered a company called

Ankole Cultural trust to ensure blackmail and erasing of the culture and Identity of the Banyakole as a great neighbour to Buganda,

Bunyoro, Toro etc.

As you try to look for your identity as a

munyankore, you should go back to history and ensure that your identity as a people is traced way beyond colonialism.

Identity crisis puts you as a homeless citizen

of the global village who has no rich history. If you read a book titled

'A History of Ankole' by Edward Mungonya, a District Commissioner for Ankole during the

time of colonialists. You will appreciate that Ankole doesn't need a kingdom.

Be informed that there were Banyankole

before the kingdom came up in 1600's.

The Ankole kingdom was founded by a

retreating group of Bacwezi from Bunyoro. It

was first known as Kaaro karungi kingdom

with headquarters @ Bweyorere in Kyeirumba,

Isingiro (15 miles from Mbarara). It initially

covered Isingiro & Bukanga.

It later expanded to include Rwampara,

Kashari, Nyabushozi & present day Mbarara

town in 1700's & acquired a new name Nkole. There were Banyankole living in all these places before the kingdom was created or

expanded. The kingdom was just a political entity to rule the masses.

After the death of Nkole's greatest king ever, Omugabe Ntare V in 1895, succession battles over who should be the heir between kahaya &

igumira raged & Nkole became too weak.

With the arrival of the British colonialists in

1901 (a year after signing the Buganda

Agreement), they forced the Nkole royals led by Kahaya & prime minister Mbaguta to

accept colonial rule on a condition that they

would expand their kingdom to include other

areas.

Other chiefdoms of Mpororo (Ntungamo),

Igara (Bushenyi), Sheema (Sheema) and

Buhweju (Buhweju, Ibanda & Kazo) were

forced to be under Nkole and this was sealed by signing of the 1901 Ankole Agreement & the name changed from Nkole to Ankole.

The people of Igara & Buhweju resisted but

were overpowered. The Igara chief committed suicide at Kashaka as he was being forcefully taken to Mbarara to sign the agreement.

In Buhweju chiefdom, the people murdered a British administrator Galt in broad day light at Ibanda in 1905 after fighting for 4 years. The British killed the Buhweju king & imposed forced labour on the people of Buhweju. A

monument for Galt was put up as locals had to carry stones from as far as 50 kilometers

to construct a Galt monument in Ibanda (it still exists).

Other people of Buhweju were forced to offer labour in Mbarara. Mbarara High School (set up in 1911), St James Church of Uganda,

Ruharo, seat of Ankole diocese, were

constructed using this forced labour. It is

from the Runyankole version of forced labour 'Oruharo' that the place came to be known as Ruharo.

Its not a surprise that Ruharo is just a stone

throw from Kamukuzi (seat of Ankole

kingdom), Nkokonjeru (burial site for Abagabe/ kings of Ankole) & Lake View in kiyanja (which used to be Omugabe's lake/

where he would bathe from)

On the other hand, discrimination became too

much. The rulers of Nkole which had now

expanded into Ankole mistreated the locals in former chiefdoms that had been forced to be under Ankole.

The internal revolts were many & the British sent Baganda to act as chiefs. The Baganda

were very loyal to the British & had been used as chiefs under Semei Kakungulu in Bugisu & had a lot of impact. That's why the Bagisu even up to now count in Luganda e.g one (1) is emu in Luganda & Lugisu, two (2) is bbiri in both Luganda & lugisu etc

In Ankole, Kakungulu orchestrated a move &

sent his Baganda Moslems to act as chiefs. They were given land in each former chiefdom.

That's why you find Baganda Moslems in

isolated trading centers in each of the

chiefdoms that was added onto Nkole ie

Nyamunuka in Ntungamo (Mpororo), Bisheshe in Ibanda (Buhweju), Itendero (Sheema) & Ishaka in Bushenyi (Igara).

The attempt to add Kigezi onto Ankole was bloody as the war took some time &

eventually resulted into migrations of the

Bakiga (Kabale, Kanungu), Bafumbira (Kisoro) & Bahiima Bahororo (Rukungiri & some parts of Ntungamo like Kajara). The Bahororo mainly migrated to Nyabushozi

(present day Kiruhura) & Kabula/Sembabule.

These migrations increased discriminations in

Kiruhura, for instance, the Bahiima, whose

grand fathers lived in Nyabushozi when the

area was still Nkole (before 1901) consider

themselves as the real Banyankole….

'Abahiima Babanyankole' and are very loyal to

the Ankole kingdom.

They refer to the other Bahiima who migrated

as Abahororo or Abanyarujumbura & other

Banyankole as Bairu. This discrimination

exists up to now.

In elections in kiruhura, this tribal chauvinism

is rampant, for instance, in their LC V

elections, the Bahororo & Bairu supported

Katugunda while those who call themselves

Abahiima Ba Banya'nkole (the indigenous)

supported Kamugungunu. Katugunda won. In

2011 also, the Bairu rallied behind their own Genensio Tumuramye for MP Nyabushozi against NRA veteran Col Fred Mwesigye of the

Abahiima Babanyankole & it was bloody.

Mwesigye won despite allegations of vote

rigging & torture & harassment of Bairu by security. Nevertheless, Kashongi constituency

(with just 2 sub counties), which is

predominantly Bairu was curved out of

Nyabushozi just before the 2016 elections &

Genensio is now MP Kashongi while Mwesigye

represents Nyabushozi.

Kazo which is predominantly Bahororo & Bairu

& was initially part of Buhweju chiefdom

alongside Ibanda & Buhweju districts, has

been seriously demanding for its own district.

Kazo district will commence soon.

CONCLUSION

Ankole kingdom was created by the British not the Banyankole. If its about restoration, it

would be prudent to restore Nkole not Ankole

and also restore other chiefdoms.

Restoration of Ankole would resurrect & even

increase discrimination, segregation & tribal

chauvinism.

If its about culture, even other clans shall

demand for restoration of other chiefdoms like

Buhweju chiefdom which was ruled by Abatiizi clan.

GOT IT FROM ANOTHER PLATFORM.

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ugandans at Heart (UAH) Community" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ugandans-at-heart/CAJgJtm02H0-yzL9duX9d2o6HC-NaW_u8Pq7ULR8Rc_44mZebeg%40mail.gmail.com.