The Kyabazinga of Busoga is the ruler of the Kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. Isebantu means “father of the people. This name was a symbol of unity derived from the expression and recognition by the people of Busoga that their leader was the “father of all people who brings all of them together, and who also serves as their cultural leader. Traditionally, the Kyabazinga throne rotates between chiefs in a timely election of the Lukiiko.
His Majesty William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV is the incumbent.
Before Europeans came to Busoga, the Basoga organized themselves into 11 hereditary chiefdoms; with five of the leaders tracing their ancestry directly from Bunyoro, and the other six tracing their origins from Buganda.
There was no king, although the chiefs often met and discussed issues of common interest. When they met, the chiefs would select a chairperson from among themselves to chair the session. They often met in Bukaleeba in Bunya (modern-day Mayuge District).
Kyabazinga’s palace in Busoga.
In 1894, the Colonial administrator, William Grant, picked and formed a native chief’s council (the Lukiiko of Busoga) under his chairmanship. Later, Semei Kakungulu, a Muganda, was brought in to make the chief’s council conform to colonial rule.
In 1905, with his efforts frustrated by internal bickering, he was dismissed. The eleven chiefs were asked to select from among themselves someone to represent their interests at the seat of the colonial government which was based in Bugembe, in modern-day Jinja District.
At first the title of the leader of the group was referred to as “Chairman”, which later changed to “President”. Then the chiefs coined the title to Kyabazinga in 1939.
The Kyabazinga of Busoga was abolished in 1967 when Milton Obote, the President of Uganda, disbanded all traditional institutions within the country.
The Kyabazinga was restored with the restoration of traditional institutions in 1993 and Busoga re-crowned Henry Wako Muloki on 11 February 1995.
Muloki died on 1 September 2008. Since his death, the throne has been contested between Isebantu Edward Columbus Wambuzi Zibondo XIII, and William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV.
On 31 October 2008, Wambuzi was declared the winner of an election which was immediately challenged by Chief Fred Menhya Kakaire.
Though the challenge was unsuccessful, “Prince Wambuzi was never recognized by the courts and government and was, therefore, never enthroned, creating an eight-year vacuum”.
Gabula was formally elected on 23 August 2014 and crowned on 13 September.
Wambuzi accuses Gabula of fraudulently attaining the throne, and then dubiously changing the Busoga constitution in November 2017.