Kimera was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda between 1374 and 1404. He was the third king of Buganda.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Ssekabaka Kimera | |
|---|---|
| Kabaka of Buganda | |
| Reign | 1374 - 1404 |
| Predecessor | Chwa I of Buganda |
| Successor | Ttembo of Buganda |
| Born | circa 1360 Bunyoro Kingdom Royal Court, Uganda |
| Died | 1404 |
| Burial | Bumera, Busiro |
| Spouse | 1. Lady Nabukalu 2. Lady Nakku 3. Lady Namagembe |
| Father | Prince Kalemera of Buganda |
| Mother | Namasole Wannyana |
Claim to the throne
editKimera was the only son of Prince Kalemeera, the son of Kabaka Chwa I Nabakka. It has been pointed out by different books and writers showing Kimera as the Only son of Prince Kalemera. This is not true. [citation needed] Kimera was a twin and his twin brother was Kato Kibi Kaganda, who became a King himself. He conquered his own Kingdom in Kiziba, current day Tanzania. They could not rule Buganda together, thus he went to Sesse, came back to Buganda and went south. Their mother was Lady Wannyana, the supposed chief wife of King Winyi I of Bunyoro.[6]
Influence on Buganda Culture
editKimera made the journey to Buganda accompanied by his mother and the family of Katumba (Nkima clan), his adoptive father. On reaching Buganda, Katumba was appointed Mugema, hereditary head of the Nkima (monkey) clan. The Mugema plays a significant role in Buganda culture, notably performing the investiture of the new Kabaka until the reign of Mutebi I.[7]
From Bunyoro, he brought with him the royal drum Kibonabona, which is beaten by the new Kabaka during coronation. During this ceremony, the Kabaka is presented with a bracelet of beads, and there's a proclamation "You are Kimera."[8]
Kimera's mother chose not to live with her son in the capital, and a residence was built for her called Lusaka, which became the official title of the Queen Mother's residence.
Some of the great officers of state during his reign included;[9]
| Name | Clan | Position | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walusimbi | Ffumbe (Civet Cat) | Katikiro | Chief Minister |
| Bakitenda | Ffumbe (Civet Cat) | Katikiro | Chief Minister |
| Ssebatta | Ngeye (Colobus Monkey) | Kaggo | Governor of Kyaddondo |
| Katumba | Nkima (Vervet Monkey) | Mugema | Governor of Busiro |
| Balitema Kajubi | Nsenene (Grasshopper) | Kasujju | Governor of Busujju |
| Nnabugwamu-Kakebe | Mmamba (Lung fish) | Kangaawo | Governor of Bulemezi |
| Gaajuule | Mbogo (Buffalo) | Mukwenda | Governor of Ssingo |
The final years
editKabaka Kimera was killed in a hunting accident around 1404. He was clubbed on the head by his grandson Kabaka Ttembo Kiridde, who succeeded him.[2] Some accounts narrate the event as a deliberate act, but the most convincing accounts say it was an accident. He was initially buried at the site of his death. In 1869, his remains were exhumed and re-buried at Lunnyo, near the city of Entebbe, close to where the present Uganda State House is located.[10] Other credible accounts give his burial place as Bumera Busiro.[11]
Quotes
edit"Kimera, the third Kabaka, was the true founder of our dynasty."
- Sir Edward Muteesa II, Desecration of My Kingdom, 1967[12]
"The real significance of the Kimera migration is that it introduced a new dynasty."
- MM Semakula Kiwanuka, A History of Buganda, 1971[13]
Succession table
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Ba Kabaka ba Buganda". www.buganda.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-15. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ a b "Buganda Kingdom::". www.buganda.or.ug. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ Wrigley, C. C. (1974). "The Kinglists of Buganda*". History in Africa. 1. Cambridge University Press: 129–139. doi:10.2307/3171765. ISSN 0361-5413. JSTOR 3171765. S2CID 153810771.
- ^ "List of Buganda Kings". Buganda History & Culture. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "Men and women are equal, but not uniform". New Vision. Retrieved 2023-01-26.
- ^ "The Early History of Kabaka Kimera". Buganda.com. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
- ^ J. Roscoe, The Baganda, 1911, pp.215.
- ^ Kabaka Sir Edward Mutesa, Desecration of My Kingdom, 1967, pp.82.
- ^ Kaggwa, Sir Apollo K, Basekabaka be’Buganda [translated by MM Semakula Kiwanuka]. Nairobi: East African Publishing House, 1971.
- ^ Kaggwa, Apollo; Kalibala, Ernest B. (1934). The Customs of the Baganda. p. 20.
- ^ "Ssekabaka Kimera Is Buried At Bumera, Busiro". Buganda.com. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2014.
- ^ Kabaka Edward Mutesa II, ibid.
- ^ Kiwanuka, MM Semakula, A History of Buganda: From the foundation of the Kingdom to 1900. London: Longman, 1971.
External links
edit- List of the Kings of Buganda Archived 2013-06-15 at the Wayback Machine