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Dynasties

  1. The Batembuzi Dynasty

    The Batembuzi were a medieval civilisation in the Lake Victoria Nyanza region in Eastern Africa. They are credited by mythology and oral tradition to be the originators of the Empire of Kitara.

    Mythology

    The Batembuzi are known in oral traditions from Bunyoro, Toro, Ankole, Rwanda and Karagwe. They are consideredas demi–gods – superhumans with divine creative power who did not die but merely disappeared into the underworld. The founder of the Batembuzi dynasty is said to have been Ruhanga, also considered the to be the creator.

    According to a Uganda Travel Guide, the traditional lineage of Batembuzi kings is;

     “Ruhanga“, the creator
    “Nkya“, brother of Ruhanga
    “Kakama“, son of Nkya
    “Bada“, son of Kakama
    “Ngonzaki“, son of Bada
    “Isaza“, son of Ngonzaki

    Isaza is considered the last of the Batembuzi dynasty, however the Bachwezi dynasty are said to descend from Isaza. Before he descended into the underworld he is said to have impregnated Nyamate, the daughter.

2. The Bachwezi Dynasty

The Bachwezi are credited with the founding of the ancient empire of Kitara; which included areas of present day central, western, and southern Uganda; northern Tanzania, western kenya, and eastern Congo. Very little is documented about them. Their entire reign was shrouded in mystery, so much so that they were accorded the status of demi gods and worshipped by various clans. Many traditional gods in Toro, Bunyoro and Buganda have typical kichwezi (adjective) names like Ndahura, Mulindwa, Wamara, Kagoro, etc..

The bachwezi dynasty was short, as supported by only three names of kings documented by historian. The bachwezi kings were;

    1. Ndahura,
    2. Mulindwa and
    3. Wamara; in this order.

In addition to founding the empire of Kitara, the bachwezi are further credited with the introduction of the unique, long horned ankole cattle, coffee growing, iron smelting, and the first semblance of organized and centralized government, under the king.

The bachwezi, upon relinquishing the throne got assimilated into the indigenous populace, and are, today, the tribal groups like the bahima of Ankole and the batutsi of Rwanda. The bahima and batutsi have the elegant, tall build and light complexion of the bachwezi, and are traditionally herders of the long horned Ankole cattle.

3. The Babiito Dynasty

The Babiito Dynasty from which the current Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara is born succeeded the Bachwezi dynasty of Kitara in the early 14th century with the coming of the Luo-Babiito to Bunyoro-Kitara from the North.

The first Biito king was Isingoma Mpuga Rukidi I, and his twin brother Kato Kimera descending further south to found present day Buganda Kingdom. Their elder brother Nyarwa remained a unifying factor between the brothers and their newly founded kingdoms, and todate, a descendant of Nyarwa (later to become) Abapanyarwa sub-clan of Babiito are the ones who install Biito kings in Babiito-led Kingdoms.

Todate, there have been a total of 27 Babiito kings of Bunyoro-Kitara.