CHAPTER 24
THE LINEAGE OF WAGUMA OF THE NJAZA CLAN (BUSOGA, BUGEMBE, KYAMAGWA, KAKIRA, BUWAMBUZI, KAMEGA, WAIJAKI
It is said that long ago an old man came from the east and stayed in Busoga for a while; his name was Kintu and he had many wives, dogs, followers and other things. While he was still in Busoga he stayed mostly in Bukoli on two hills known as Busoga and Luwalambago. He had many children while on Busoga Hill and among these children was one called Ntembe.
When Ntembe, together with a number of others, became of age they fell to hunting wild animals. Because Ntembe was so interested in hunting, he preferred to live isolated in a country of jungle which teemed with animals. By this time he had had some children: Kaguma, Ntamiyo and Kaluba. He had a number of followers who assisted him in hunting. On leaving Busoga Hill, he wandered for a considerable length of time. From here he went to Batambogwe and, in the course of his hunting tours, he finally came to Bugule and established a home at a place known as Kagoma where he lived permanently.
Some people do not agree that Ntembe was Kintu’s son. They state that he was Kasoga’s son. They add that Kasoga came to Busoga with Kintu from the east. Kasoga is also known as Mukama. These two people travelled through Bugishu, Budama, Samia and then arrived at Bukoli. They penetrated right into the heart of Busoga where they spent much time wandering about. Finally they came to Bugoma Hill (Bugule). After a short stay there, Kintu separated from Kasoga and travelled in the direction of the Nile. He finally crossed to Bunyoro.
Kasoga remained at Bugule with a number of followers. He appreciated the fertility of the soil there. He went to Buganda, at Bugolo, in Kyagwe, and married the daughter of Kamunye; her name was Kumwenda. At this time there were no people in Busoga. Soon Kumwenda gave birth to a son who was named Ntembe. Most Baganda know Ntembe as Kintu’s grandson.
The same people assert that Kintu gave Busoga to Ntembe, but the assertion is not true. Ntembe was Kasoga’s son and Kyamutwe was his brother; but because Ntembe’s area was in the neighbourhood of Buganda and derived its name, Busoga, from Kasoga, the Baganda applied the name Basoga to the rest of the country. Prior to this, the whole country had no common name; each area was named after its ruler. For instance, Bugabula after Gabula, Bukoli after Wakoli, Busegula after Musegula, Buiserwanga after Iserwanga, etc. Busoga comes from Kasoga.
After he had succeeded his father Kasoga, he rebuilt Bugule and made it look better than ever before. Like his father, he went to Bugolo and married many women, as a result of which he had many children. Some of the latter were Waguma, Mukalu, Lugembe, Idondo, Mbajwe, to whom he gave various areas to rule. Waguma was given the area surrounding Jinja Hill and near the Falls. Mukalu was given the area known as Kyamagwa. Lugembe was given Bugembe, including Igenge Hill. Idondo was given Kakira where he built his mbuga. Wanume was given Buwazabuzi, Kamega and Waijaki.
Ntembe lived at Bugule and, as was his habit, hunted. He was skilled in making drums and the first drum to be made was named Mulyabyaki. It was such a good drum that the King of Buganda took a fancy to it and demanded it of Ntembe. This drum was made from a tree which was cut from Bwenge. It is said that Ntembe was not the man who sent the drum to the Kabaka but that his grandson did (Lukwata). Lukwata was the son of Lubembe, the ruler of Bugembe, where the HeadQuarters now stand.
Lubembe was Ntembe’s son. Ntembe died of old age and was succeeded by his brother, Kyamutwe.
After his succession to the chieftainship, Kyamutwe lived at Bugule. Apart from the fact that he had a considerable number of children, Kyamutwe had no other points to remember him by. On the other hand, Kyamutwe ruled over two sub-areas in Buganda which Ntembe had somehow secured. Fact shows that Kyagwe was part of Busoga. The two sub-areas were Naminya and Nakyesanja.
Naminya is a Kisoga name. Ntembe had made a very big pit at Namulesa. This pit was meant to trap hunted elephants and Kyamutwe made use of it on many occasions. The result was that Kyamutwe killed many elephants and had many tusks. He sold these tusks and received a lot of money. He had a famous spear known as Nakangu which had belonged to Ntembe. It was a hereditary property.
Kyamutwe had succeeded his brother when he himself was advanced in years so he did not rule for many years before he died. Nkombe succeeded his father Kyamutwe and transferred his mbuga to Iwamba. Among his children were two sons, Mulumba and Waiswa. Nkombe was occupied by things such as hunting, etc. He was succeeded by his brother, Bagye, who built his new mbuga at Iwanda, where he died and was buried.
He was succeeded by his brother, Bamugye, who also built his new mbuga at Kidubundubu, for fear of death. Bamugye was succeeded by his son, Mayanja, and he also built his mbuga at Nkalange. This had become an established habit. When he died he was buried there.
Luinja succeeded his father Mayanja and, as was the custom, built his new mbuga at Musima just behind Igenge Hill. He died and was buried there. Luinja was succeeded by his son, Ndimulala, who had his home at Butiki. He left his father’s mbuga of Musima to his brothers. When he died he was buried at Butiki.
Mugabe succeeded his father, Luinja. This was in the year 1921. He built his home at Buwoya in Bugabula, where he died in 1933.
He was succeeded by his brother, Ndada, who was still living at the date of writing this book. It is claimed that the chiefs of the lineage of Ntembe were not in the habit of marrying children (wives) just like other chiefs. Ntembe and Kyamutwe, who were polygamists, only had three wives.
Most of these chiefs had between two and five children each. Ntembe was an exception because he had six children. Most of them had one wife each, others had just two. Mbajwe I was the father Lubale Wairaka, who gave his name to the part of the country known as Wairaka. Byanoga, too, was Mbajwe’s son and the former was the father of Mbajwe II.