CHAPTER 3
THE HISTORY OF BUKOLI
A very small number of people in Bukoli state that long ago there was a very well-to-do man known as Mukama; that this man travelled, from Mount Elgon through Bugwere, Teso and Lango Districts and eventually entered Bunyoro. He stayed in Bunyoro for only a short period of time and then travelled to Busoga, which country he entered through Bugabula. He spent about three years growing food-crops in Bugabula but later continued his journey to Bukoli, where he roamed, about before he came to Namakoko, where his son was born, whom he named Kukwaya, and assigned that area to him.
Most people of Bukoli state that long ago there was a very rich man who had many followers and was known by two names, Mukama or Kintu; that he came from Mount Elgon and travelled through Bugishu and Budama districts and reached Bukoli (Busoga). His first stopping place was at Wanyemera, near a river— bounded hill Called Kigali. From there he went to Kibanda and on to Kisimbiro. He travelled right into the middle of Busoga, where he roamed about. He eventually crossed over to Bunyoro, which was then known as Bukama, which means ‘of the Lord’.
While in Bukama, Mukama had many children born to him, whom he sent to Busoga, which he had seen virtually empty on his way to Bukama. One of his children who came to Busoga was named Okali (Wakoli). Okali entered Busoga via Bugabula and he travelled to Bukoli, establishing himself at Kibanda, where his father had once lived. He then moved to Kisimbiro and later went to Bukoli hill at Namakoko.
Okali found very few people in Bukoli and these were living among the hills on the shore of the lake. They had as their ruler a man named Naminya, who was a ventriloquist and could foretell the future. Okali had only one wife called Kitimbo; he also had two dogs, spears and many followers whose names are not known.
There was nothing at all that could stop Okali from winning the whole of Bukoli since this country was practically a desert. As he had nobody to fight him, he spent most of his time hunting wild animals. He used the meat of these animals which he killed to employ people to grow food for him. In a short time he had plenty of food. People from the faminestricken parts of Budama and Kavirondo used to come to him for food. Eventually these people settled in Wakoli’s country and thus increased the population, and the area increased subsequently.
The Successive Wakolis: —
1. Okali 2. Kibwe 3. Odagadu 4. Mukwaya 5. Mwonja 6. Mutumba 7 Nkutu 8. Nkoye 9.Wanjuba 10. Serwanga 11.Mukova 12. Kisakirizi 13. Megero 14. Kiyemba 15. Kibuka 16. Kigoifo 17. Ochwa 18. Otakinya 19. Muluya 20. Nanganyi 21. Kasali 22. Kaunye 23.Mutanda, who ruled from 1894 -1899 and, died a prisoner at Entebbe. He was imprisoned because of disobedience and died in November 1899. 24. Mugoya I, who ruled from 1900 - 1902. 25. Musitwa, who ruled from 1903 until May 1920. 26. Samuel Mugoya, the first Christian ruler in Bukoli, who came into office in May 1920.
All these twenty-six rulers are of the lineage of Wakoli, Most of them ruled for life and were small kings in their area. Everyone of them was succeeded by his son and this was a tradition most favoured by the common people of that area. Any outlaws were either speared to death or deported.
The country was peaceful until Mukova, son of Serwanga who was Wakoli’s or Kisakirizi’s uncle, applied to the Kabaka of Buganda for an army to help him overthrow the rule of Kisakirizi. The Kabaka of Buganda co-operated and sent a big army to Mukova. However, Kisakirizi’s army was very strong and managed to resist the combined army of Mukova’s.
Mukova again asked for another army from the Kabaka, who once more agreed to give him an army of specially chosen men. Kikoyo was appointed by the Kabaka to lead the army and, because of the tortures he inflicted upon Kisakirizi’s men, he was nicknamed Mutegere (‘be patient’ or ‘wait patiently’).
Kikoyo defeated Kisakirizi’s army and placed Mukova, Kisakirizi’s brother on the throne. From that time, the rulers of Bukoli were friends of the Kabaka of Buganda and would not hesitate to apply for military aid from him. Of course they sent many gifts and presents to the Kabaka for his friendship and military aid. Soon most of the chiefs in Busoga followed the example set by Wakoli; whenever any of them wished to make war against a neighbouring chief, he would go to the Kabaka for military assistance. This became a habit practised mostly by those chiefs whose countries were bounded either by Lake Victoria or the Nile. The chief who would ask the Kabaka first for military assistance would, inevitably, defeat his enemy but then the vanquished would also present his case to the Kabaka, who would inconsistently assist him to defeat the prevous victor. Thus the formerly vanquished chief would be put back into power. This state of affairs existed from the time of Mukova until the coming of Europeans in Uganda. The Basoga were not united and, although the Baganda never invaded Busoga, they still came to fight in it on invitation.
The first missionaries to be sent to Busoga began their work in Bukoli during the rule of Kaunye. They were two C.M.S. missionaries, Rev. B.C. Gordon and Mr. F.G. Smith, who were sent from Namirembe by Bishop Tucker in 1891.