Brothers fight over Busoga chiefdom

Jinja. The High Court in Jinja last month adjourned to February 6 next year a case in which two brothers are fighting for Kigulu Chiefdom in Iganga District.

Kigulu is one of the 11 chiefdoms in Busoga Kingdom, including Bugweri, Luuka, Busiki, Bukono, Bulamogi, Butembe, Bunhya, Bugabula, Bukooli and Bunhyoli.
Mr Patrick Izimba, also known as Ngobi Gologolo, is accused by his cousin, Mr Dan Ngobi Walube, of holding on as the royal chief of Kigulu chiefdom for close to two decades.

Following the death of Mr Samuel Walube in 1999, Mr Izimba was appointed caretaker of the throne while Mr Walube was abroad for studies. Mr Izimba is a son of the deceased’s elder brother, Mr Dawson Kiregeya. Reports suggest that around 1996 when Walube Senior was bedridden, he asked Mr Izimba to temporarily take charge and represent him in the Busoga Lukiiko (Parliament) that sat in Bugembe.

Mr Walube says Mr Izimba has since declined to surrender the throne to him.
Mr Walube has also accused Mr Izimba of taking advantage of King Henry Wako Muloki’s death in 2008 to cause his enthronement a year later.

And while Mr Walube further accuses Mr Izimba of violating the cultural norms of the chiefdom, Mr Izimba says Mr Walube is ‘acting under political influence’, arguing that there are ways of sorting out their differences other than seeking court redress.

Why fight for Kigulu?
According to Dr Frank Nabwiso, a historian and former MP for Kagoma County, the December 13, 2000 constitution of Busoga Kingdom stipulates that a Kyabazinga will only be elected from one of the five Baise Ngobi clans, which include Ngobi of Kigulu, Gabula of Bugabula, Izibondo of Bulamogi, Nkono of Bukono and Tabingwa of Luuka.
Dr Nabwiso says this means that whoever emerges winner in the Kigulu contest has a clear shot at Kyabazingaship.

Noteworthy, throughout the history of Busoga Kingdom, only Bulamogi and Bugabula chiefdoms have produced a Kyabazinga, despite having an array from which to choose a king, a statistic that makes Kigulu Chiefdom ‘well positioned’ to produce a Kyabazinga.

On the other hand, however, Bukono and Kigulu are the only two chiefdoms that have had conflicts, with Kigulu having three groups of the same clan claiming to be leaders of the chiefdom. However, the biggest conflict yet is between Prince Columbus Wambuzi of Bulamogi chiefdom, Kyabazinga William Nadiope Gabula IV and three chiefs who have since fallen out with the Kyabazinga; namely Mr Juma Munulo (Bunhya), Mr Yassin Ntembe (Butembe) and Samuel Kamaga (Bukono).

In August 2014, Prince Nadiope IV was elected Kyabazinga while Wambuzi had already been elected in 2008, prompting the latter to seek court redress.
With both royals battling each other in court, a victory for either prince will leave many unanswered questions.

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