CHAPTER 32
LUBA OF NYANGE CLAN (BUNYA – KYANDO)
The following old people, who are member of Luba, explained to me how the Nyange clan first came to Busoga: - Tomasi Geme, a Gombolola Chief and a member of Luba’s lineage Erisa Kibikyo of Kyando, a Gombolola Chief and a member of Luba’s lineage Erisa Wambi of Iganga, a Gombolola Chief and a member of Luba’s lineage These people stated that the great-grandfather, or the originator of the Nyange clan was Kituma, son of Mbazira who lived at Bulimwe, Kyagwe, in Buganda. Kituma was brought up in his father’s home and when he came of age he learned how to hunt wild animals. He had two followers:- Lugonda, whose, lineage was called ‘Baise-lugonda’ and Muwanga, whose lineage was called ‘Baise-muwanga’.
Kituma wandered about along the shores of Lake Victoria hunting animals. His two followers went with him. Later Kituma decided to go and do some hunting on the islands of Buvuma. He landed at a place called Naima-tomangi, from where he sailed to Lingira island, where Lingira, of the Kiyuka clan lived. It is said that Luwano was the ruler of that island. Kituma sailed to this island in a canoe named Walukiriri, which he brought with him from Buganda. He was not a fisherman, therefore he owned no boat of his own.
Kituma had two dogs named Ekitwala-Omunaku and Mabiro. From Lingira Kituma sailed to Bwema island, which faced his own land. He had with him the following men whom he took from Lingira Island; Ikumi, the fire-maker, Muluta, the messenger. These two brought the number of Kituma’s followers up to four. The whole group consisted of seven living things, including the two dogs. They then sailed to Busoga and landed at a place called Muwagala, which is on the shore of that part of the lake called Nakalanga -a bay that makes a link between Bukaleba lowland and the main lake.
As soon as they landed they pulled their canoes on to the dry land and Kituma fixed the oar in the ground where it later grew into a tree. This tree is still in existence and is a lusambya tree (1935).
Accompanied by his four followers, Kituma travelled inland. The whole country was quite empty. Kituma first built his mbuga in a place called Ngulumo, and he named the surrounding country ‘Bunya’, which he derived from his clan’s name ‘Baisemunya’. At that time the whole country was covered with very short grass; very high grass was not in existence. Even trees were very few; elephant grass increased soon after the increase in population. This was so because many people had found elephant grass useful.
While staying at Ngulumo as his base, Kituma often went out on hunting tours; he wandered about in many directions. One day he came to a beautiful hill which he had never seen before, and rested there. When he rose to go, he forgot his horn named Luuta. At the discovery of his loss, he named the hill Mauta, in remembrance of his horn, Luuta. The latter later became a powerful spirit on the hill and was worshipped by members of Baiseimunya clan. Kituma built his second mbuga at Kivumu at the foot of Mauta hill. Later he built a permanent mbuga at Kyando, where members of his lineage have lived up to this day (1935).
The following is worth noting;
1. Kituma had only one son, who was born at Ngulume; the son’s mother was a member of a certain clan which Kituma found existing in Busoga. His son’s name was Busuka.
2. Busuka succeeded his father, Kituma, and had sons, Kisoma and Kirikoka.
3. Kisoma I succeeded his father, Busuka. Kisoma was a magician as well as a doctor. He could perform wonderful miracles; whenever he wished to cross a lake, he would order the water to divide and leave a dry path for him to walk on, and this would be so. He died and was buried at Kiumo. He left a number of sons: - Muwolya, Mukyula, Mutyabule and Nabmavu.
4. Kirikoka succeeded his brother, Kisoma I.
5. Muwolya succeeded his uncle, Kirikoka; during the former’s days the country was peaceful.
6. Mukyula succeeded his brother Muwolya. Mukyula was quite old and died soon after his succession.
7. Mutyabule succeeded his brother, Mukyula, and had two sons - Mpagi and Lwanyi.
8. Mpagi succeeded his father, Mutyabule I.
9. Iwayi I succeeded his brother Mpagi.
10. Munulo I succeeded his father Lwayi I.
11. Lume I succeeded his father Munulo I
12. Kisoma II succeeded his father’s home.
13. Mutyabule II succeeded his father Kisoma II.
Mutyabule II was a brave fighter and fought many battles, in the course of which he expanded his Kingdom considerably. There is a legend which states that during one of these battles, Mutyabule stood on a hill and his wife brought a calabash of beer to refresh him. She stooped and knelt on her knees before handing him the calabash. Mutyabule had fixed his spear nearby and his dog was standing beside him. The marks made by the wife’s knees, the calabash, the spear and the footmarks of Mutyabule and his dog can still be seen up to this day, 400 years later.
These marks are at Bubali in Bunya.
The best-known of his sons are: - Nandigobe, Mukedi and Munulo. Mutyabule II was so fond of fighting that one day he planned to go and fight the people of the lineage of his mother’s father at Bukasa. When the people of Bukasa heard about it, they were shocked and immediately thought out a plan to catch and kill him. They put a lot of cold food and meat in one of their houses as bait. When Mutyabule came to the house he saw the food and meat and his mouth watered. He sat down to it and satisfied his hunger. As he was coming out of the house, his own spear wounded him terribly and he returned home suffering at the end of a few days at home he died.
14. Nandigobe succeeded his father Mutyabule II.
15. Mukedi succeeded his brother Nandigobe.
16. Munulo II succeeded his brother Mukedi. He had the following children:- Muuna, Kasoma, Mwiru, Namirimwe, Kituma, Lwai, Wanyoki, Nsube, Busuka and Nandigobe.
17. Kituma succeeded his father Munulo II.
18. Lwai II succeeded his brother Kituma.
He had the following children:— Lume, Mpagi, Katagwa, Kisozi, Basa, Kyemba, Nkwitule, Owala, Nyagozigombye and Lwai. Lwai II sent an army against Lwai who, after being captured, was burnt alive. He had appointed Lume to succeed him.
19. Lume II succeeded his father Lwai.
20. Mpagi II succeeded his brother Lume II.
21. Owala succeeded his brother Mpagi II.
22. Nyago-igombye succeeded his brother Owala. The new chief had the following children:-Lugezi, Kisoma Mutyabule III, Gusalaire, Muhamadi, Munulo, Yokana Mukajanga and many others.
The name Luba became the title of the rulers of Bunya beginning with Nyago-zigombye, who nicknamed himself so. This is interpreted to mean that a goat’s jaw is never without anything to chew. He assumed this name when he was still a youth and was strong and active; he was never idle.
The name in full was Luba-lwa-Mbuzi but it was later abbreviated to Luba.
The Europeans built their fort at Bukaleba in 1892 during the rule of Nyago-Zigombye-Luba. He was still the ruler when Bishop Hannington was killed on 29 October 1885. He ruled upto 1890. This Luba had sent to the King of Buganda to enquire whether the English Bishop should be allowed to enter Buganda from the east. The Kabaka replied that he would be most angry with Luba and would even send an army against him if he allowed such a thing to happen. The King simply ordered Luba to put the Bishop to death. Then they took the Bishop, with his followers, to a swamp and speared them to death. The Bishop was killed in the middle of his prayer. Fortunately, one of his followers who was supposed to be dead recovered and went back to report his master’s death.
In 1897 the rising of the Sudanese troops who were on safari with some Europeans in Kenya took place. Soon after the rising they came quickly to Bukaleba fort, with arms. They did a lot of havoc in this fort, releasing prisoners and killing many people, including three Europeans, one of whom was Major Thruston. The Sudanese were driven from Bukaleba in 1896 and went to Bunyoro. When the fighting was over, many Basoga were chosen to return to Mombasa the equipment that had been used in this fighting. The chiefs were also asked to escort their people. When these people came back from their long journey, they had contracted sleeping-sickness (1899).
In addition to sleepingsickness there was a terrible famine which killed many people in 1900. The effects of sleepingsickness began to have effects on the people in 1902 but by 1906 the plague was at its worst. Luba’s country, including some neighbouring islands in Lake Victoria were devastated with regard to their population. The Government moved its H.Q. from Bukaleba to Iganga in 1899. In April 1901 it was moved to Jinja, where it stayed.
Nyago-zigombye-Luba was the first President of Busoga in 1893, following the establishment of Government Headquarters in this country at Bukaleba. All the chiefs in Busoga were ordered to go to Bukaleba and build their mbugas there. Luba was treated as the paramount chief among them for he had much more authority over things than any of the other chiefs. He was the chairman in the chief’s meetings. He was not given the title of President: his leadership was like that of the president of a club. He occupied that position until his death in 1906. His successors assume the title of Luba.
Owing to the ill-effects sleeping-sickness had on the population, Luba’s county and Igombe, Buyodi, and Buyende counties were all joined to form one county known as Bunya. This took place in 1908. A camp for people suffering from sleeping-sickness was built at Busu, near Iganga but it was later transferred to Kyetume in Buganda.
Kisoma III succeeded his father in 1906.’ He ruled for only two years and then fell a victim to sleeping-sickness.
Tenywa Balitenswa Luba succeeded his father, Kisoma III. He also died shortly after a year, 1909.
Wandira Mulyabirime of Ngobi clan in Kigulu was appointed by the Busoga Lukiko to act as regent in Bunya in place of the boy Yonasani Kisaja, son of Luba.
Y. Kisaja was still at school in Mengo High School. Wandira Mulyabirime ruled for only a year then died of sleeping-sickness. Kibunduka, grandson of Mutyabule Luba was appointed to the chieftainship. Like his predecessor, Kibunduka immediately fell a victim to the plague. Before he died, he entrusted the chieftainship to Yusufu Balita, a Moslem and his deputy. By this time the population was very sparse; the country was mostly inhabited by wild animals. Most of the sub-chieftainships were vacant. Only Nanyumba of Igombe possessed about 60 people in his country. This was in the year 1919.
Yusufu Balita was later confirmed in office by the Government and the Busoga Lukiko. This was done on the understanding that Kituma’s lineage was extinct by then, 1914.
Y. Balita ruled an almost peopleless country, but when the plague was eradicated more people went back to settle in his country. There are many people now although the number does not justify the making of Bunya into a separate county. Nanyumba’s county was joined to Bunya in 1920. Yokana Mukajanga is the head of Nyonyi clan, Kituma’s clan. Members of this clan live in the eastern parts of Bunya.