Transfer of royal mace

It was a moment of joy among the Buganda loyalists on Wednesday, May 29, 2013, as the newly appointed Buganda Kingdom Premier (Katikkiro) Charles Peter Mayiga received the instruments of power (Ddamula) from His Royal Highness Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II at Lubiri (Palace) in Mengo.

The event that took place at about 11am saw thousands flock to the palace as early as 5am with the most excited people being those of the Omutima clan where the newly appointed katikkiro comes from.
Silvester Musoke, 63, a resident of Kyagwe County (Mukono District) is one of those who could not miss such a moment.

He says the transfer of the royal mace (Ddamula) from one person to another is very important in the history of the kingdom because it is a sign that the Kabaka has chosen a person he trusts so much and it is at that occasion, that he hands the symbol of authority to the katikkiro to rule on his behalf.

Symbol of power
“The way new leaders are handed instruments of power, in Buganda Kingdom, the Ddamula is a symbol that is handed to the new katikkiro which signifies acceptance for service in the kingdom on behalf of the Kabaka. It is an indication that the Kabaka has trusted him and therefore the Katikiro must be loyal to him,” he says.

He adds that when Ddamula is finally handed over to the new Katikkiro, he does not reveal the details of his background or thank the Kabaka like any other kingdom official. He just moves a few steps backwards, then turns and heads directly to Butikkiro; the official place where it is put. It is upon him and his clan members to guard it jealously so that no one snatches it from him as he takes it to Butikkiro.”

Musoke continues to say that in the event that the Ddamula is snatched away from the newly appointed katikkiro, it is an indication that he is too weak to rule the kingdom and preserve its culture.

He says at that moment, the Kabaka then appoints another katikkiro from the clan that managed to grab the Ddamula from the appointed Katikkiro that is why the new katikkiro comes with strong men from his clan to guard him as he delivers the Ddamula to Butikkiro the way Mayiga did.

Aloysius Semakula one of the Kingdom officials from Kauga County in Kyagwe County, says it all started during Ssekabaka Kintu’s era when his brother Bemba Musota wanted to over throw him. He says at that time, Kintu’s soldiers fought and defeated Musota. “Ssekabaka Kintu had a misunderstanding with his brother Bemba Musota who wanted to overthrow him.

Sharing power
It is said that when Musota was finally defeated with the help of kingdom soldiers, Kintu saw it relevant to share power with his men as a sign of security. This gave birth to the katikiro and it is now over 600 years and still going on through generations,” he says.“In the past, ddamula was a serious battle because every clan wanted to have its own person become the katikkiro. ” The clan that had the ddamula fought hard to protect it from being snatched. That energy has since gone down as years go by,” he says. Semakula on the other hand says the energy is still there because if it was not the case,

Mayiga would not have deployed all the men that were seen guarding him on that day. Ddamula is like any other stick but what gives it more significance is that it is only exchanged between the Kabaka and the katikiro. It is a rare stick which is only found in a forest called Luggo in Ssese Islands. That is where it is cut,” Semakula says.

It is said that once the katikiro has received the Ddamula and successfully taken it to butikiro, he sounds the drums in line with his clan’s motto thereafter, the celebrations begin.

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