WHO ARE THE HISTORICAL BAKONZO PEOPLE; WHERE IS GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION?
In here, we shall not talk of the anthropological issues relating to the Bakonzo and their origin. We shall only supply a distinguished history, which indicates that they are the earliest occupants of their current habitant. By geographical reference, Bakonzo are located on the western part of Uganda. The Bakonzo live in the Rwenzori Mountains, they occupy both sides of Rwenzori; that is to say, they are found on the side of congo and the side of Uganda which is currently demarcated within the kasese district. On the Congo side, the Bakonzo largely occupy an area, in the colonial history, named as kivu province.
THE EARLIEST SETTLEMENT AND POLITICAL SYSTEM OF THE BAKONZO
With the progress of time, the component of organized administration gradually gave birth to elaborate political structures, which at later time converged to be administered, as we shall see, by the refer top political by the Omwami is the equivalent of kingship and Omwami is the equipment of king in the English version.
Under the dictations of them mountainous terrain, each village was originally located on a mountain spur. Each spur or ridge (Bulhambo) was governed by a council of elders who represented extended families. This council would always be headed by an elder, meritoriously seen to be of a senior rank. In a way of aggregative administration, a number of villages were brought under a unitary control of a supreme elder, who was highly respected and maximally trusted.
With period specification, at a later time, this sort of political structure gradually evolved to cope up with the raise of the monarchical rule, whose gradual historical limps with the chwezi and Bito ruling systems which had gained power base within the prominently known Bunyoro Kitara Empire. According to the oral tradition, this superior leader was called KINYABONDO, with other two autholary names of TSWOGHO.
This gentleman was a Musu-Munyangalha by clan. As things were then, this gentleman becomes distinguished as the Top leader of the entire Bakonzo community. Kinyabondo ruled all the Bakonzo.
THE ABASU-BANYANGALHA DYNASTY IS ESTABLISHED: BAKONZO ARE BROUGHT UNDER THE KINGSHIP RULE
After his death, kinyabondo was succeeded by his son called KATUBIRO, who equally inherited the leadership of the Bakonzo people.
KATSWABWEMI THE HISTORICAL MAIN PALACE AND MAIN THRONE OF THE BAKONZO KINGSHIP
The history concerning how katswabwemi become the palace for the Bakonzo which also housed the main throne is long and deserves a full handbook to exhaustively talk about it. However, it is important to note that, when the Bakonzo’s Obwami gained stability on the ground, Katswabwemi become the historical main palace, which also housed the main throne. This palace is found in the present day kasese district. It is located a top one of the Rwenzori mountain peaks in the area of MALIBA.
THE LINEAGE OF THE BAKONZO KINGS (ABAAMI) AND THE GENEALOGY OF THE CROWN PRINCE, SWALEH TIBAMWENDA.
The term lineage is an ancestry one. It means the line of descent from an ancestor. It is usually said that some people cannot trace their lineage back many centuries. This is true with one Charles Kisembo Mumbere.
In this particular case of the lineage of the Bakonzo kings and the genealogy of the Crown Prince, Swaleh Tibamwenda Basikania, the principal intention is to make highlight on vital facts.
It is a plain fact that this throne “in question” has been faced with jeopardizing claims by especially the Ex-gangsters of former Rwenzururu, now associatively championing the Obusinga chapter. The proposed or nominated Mumbere candidate to the assumed Obusinga throne, Charles whose knowledge of culture is held upside down claims that he is from a royal family.
This is the man who history forgot to record him, in his lineage. Depending on some durable memory, he cannot honestly tell who the grandfather, of his late father Isaya Mukirania was. The grandparent, whom Mumbere can refer to, is Masanduku who was a known serial offender.
In short, Mumbere has a very little and negligible amount of history in his hands, which he cannot successful supply to the Bakonzo so that they can accept him as their leader, if that was to be the approach anyway!
Turning away from Mumbere and his tiny history in his hands, let’s look at the list of the known kings of the Bakonzo, which reads as follows:
THE LIST OF KINGS OF THE BAKONZO
1. TWOGHO KINYABONDO…………………………………………………………………………1630 – 1673
2. KATUBIRO……………………………………………………………………………………………….1673 – 1683
3. MUGHISA…………………………………………………………………………………………………1683 – 1720
4. LHUBANGO…………………………………………………………………………………………….1720 – 1763
5. MBWANGA……………………………………………………………………………………………..1763 – 1772
6. MBIMBURI……………………………………………………………………………………………….1772 – 1790
7. BIKENE…………………………………………………………………………………………………….1790 – 1801
8. KITHI KYOLHO………………………………………………………………………………………....1801 – 1805
9. MULIRANE……………………………………………………………………………………………….1805 – 1814
10. KITHENGERA…………………………………………………………………………………………….1814 – 1821
11. ITHUNGU THENGA………………………………………………………………………………….1821 – 1830
12. MUBINGI………………………………………………………………………………………………....1830 – 1850
13. NYAMIREMBE…………………………………………………………………………………………1850 – 1863
14. MUKEERI………………………………………………………………………………………………….1863 – 1897
15. ISEBAGHUDA………………………………………………………………………………………….1897 – 1948
16. GEORGE BASIKANIA…………………………………………………………………………………1948 – 2004
17. TIBAMWENDA BASIKANIA
NOTE: It can be clearly noted from the above list that, the previous king of the Bakonzo was called George Mubingi Basikania. He was the 16th king on the throne. He was enthroned way back in 1948. As we shall see in the pages following this Basikania remained a king until his recent death, which occurred in October 2004, a father to the Crown Prince Tibamwenda Basikania.
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