THE BUSOGA KINGDOM – ONE OF UGANDA’S TOURISM REGIONS
(Posted 19th January 2017)
Uganda, a republic straddling the equator, has in more ancient times been ruled by both Kings and Paramount Chiefs, institutions restored by the government of President Yoweri Museveni in 1993/94 as cultural institutions after all traditional ruling structures were abolished by Milton Obote, twice dictator and twice overthrown by military coups.
The Busoga Kingdom is located in the East of Uganda, across the River Nile, which commences its long journey to the Mediterranean Sea in Jinja, known as both the Source of the Nile and the Adventure Capital of East Africa.
The Busoga Tourism Initiative has now released an initial nine short chapters on the history, culture and of course tourism attractions found in the kingdom and
with their explicit permission will all nine chapters be reproduced here in coming days.
The timing is befitting as between the 17th and 19th of February will the Uganda Tourism Board host the annual Pearl of Africa Travel Expo in Kampala and the attractions of the upper Nile valley and further into the Kingdom will be showcased there to nearly 100 hosted buyers and international travel media representatives and travel trade professionals from the entire East African region.
Nnhenda Hill: The home of the Igaga clan
It is said that it was at Nnhenda where the first migrants from Bunyoro settled way back in 1350 AD establishing a base that gave birth to Busoga’s biggest clan, Abaise’Igaga. Located just a few kilometers from IGANGA town, Nnhenda is an attractive place that gives you a 360 degree view of a big part of Busoga. This explains why the British also made it their base during the colonial days after they signed the second agreement (after the one with Chief Wakooli in 1890) with the Chief of Busambira.
Early Folkore has it that Igaga Nantamu Byaruhanga of Bunyoro-Kitara opened the exodus trail of Bunyoro into Busoga. He moved via Lake Victoria’s Buvuma Islands where he entered southern Busoga before finally settling at at hill he named Nnhenda. Nnhenda is a Lusoga word meaning “I want”. Apparently, it is on this hill that Igaga’s wife called Buwalaki, informed him that she wanted to give birth (about to give birth), prompting Igaga to name the hill which had become their habitat the name Nnhenda.
Read about the settlement of the Colonialists at Nnhenda and the Folklore surrounding the hills in the Best of Busoga book.
