Omukama Chwa I Rumoma Mahanga

This king was praised as “the true Chwa [cutter], the scourge of the cows of Nkore.”

The Attack on Nkore
A short period after Chwa I had usurped the throne from his brother Nyarwa, a cattle disease called Kisotoka [nsotoka -rinderpest] descended on Kitara and killed off all the animals. Chwa I was therefore advised to replenish his flock of cattle by invading Nkore, which had a lot of cattle at this time. He suddenly mobilized his men with himself as leader. And the Nkore campaign had started. At Rulembo he confronted 0mugabe Ntare Kitabanyoro [the scourge of the Banyoro] of Nkore and offered battle. Ntare, defeated and badly hurt, fled to the island of Kagera and remained there for the rest of his life. Chwa I established his capital in Nkore on the hill called Kakunyu.

The Attack on Rwanda and Other Countries
After three years in Nkore Chwa was persuaded by the people of the Bachwezi clan-the Abafumura -to invade Rwanda, where many cattle also existed. Thereupon he mobilized his men and moved against Rwanda. But, suspecting during the march that some of his men had deserted and had bolted back to Kitara, he decided to estimate their number by ordering everyone to be in possession of a stone. This incident took place at Birenga hill. When they arrived at a sandy river in Nyaruyanja village he ordered them to throw down their stones. The stones thus thrown down formed three big heaps and two small ones. He ordered this exercise to be repeated in order to make sure that he had sufficient men for the invasion.

At dawn he encountered King Kahindira of Rwanda [Ruanda] and a battle was fought. Kahindira was beaten and his cattle captured, many of which Chwa I sent to Kitara. Chwa himself settled in Rwanda for four years and Rwanda thus became the main center for his raiding expeditions. He attacked many countries to the west of the lacustrine region and even went beyond Lake Kivu. He died in Rwanda (Usually when an Omukama died, his officials tried to hide the fact. From this developed the custom of saying that the king has been lost or has been swallowed up.)

During the four years he ruled Rwanda, Chwa I gave that country a taste of good administration. He reorganized it after the pattern he was used to in Kitara. In the Chronicles of Rwanda, the Kitara occupation of that country is said to have been of great importance because Chwa I left a legacy of good administration.

In Bunyoro-Kitara Chwa did not leave any heir. And because of his prolonged absence, a lady called Mashamba was put on the throne as regent. Mashamba was a Mubiitokati [princess] as well as the Batebe [the official sister of the king].