ARCHBISHOP JOSEPH NAKABAALE KIWANUKA
His Ethnic and His Genealogic Roots
Article Written in Luganda by M. S. Byakuno Lukwaago
Edited and Literally Translated into English
by
Aloysius Muzzanganda Mugerwa Lugira
Where was Archbishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka born? There are many people who
have written about this beloved person of ours. One writer wrote as follows in Musizi of
March 1958:
“Archbishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka originates in the line of Bandabalongo in
Bukagoma which is found in the Mawokota county of Buganda…The Archbishop
originates in the clan subdivision of Lujjumba at Bulenga in Busiro. He is a member of
the clan of Jjumba at Bunjakko, he is a member of the clan of Mmande, who clanwise are
the same as Kisambu, Ssemuggala and Mwanga one of the heads of the clan, he is a
descendant of the clan division of Katumba at Bbira in Busiro. The Archbishop is a
member of the Nkima [Monkey] clan…”
When you read what has been quoted here above, if you happen to have some knowledge
about the Nkima clan, you realize that the writer did not set things out correctly. We
know that at Bulenga there is no clan sub-division of Lujjumba.; what is at Bulenga is a
clan division; at Bbira there is no clan division of Katumba; what is there is the
headquarters of the head of the Nkima clan. The writer of the quotation made above does
not show the source of what he wrote.
In the book titled The Roots of theNkima Ssiga [Clan Division] of Jjumba which was
written by Erize Muwanga Alideki, the Ssiga head as Jjumba, from 1902 to 1972, on
page 39 of that book, Arch bishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka is counted among the
prominent grandchildren of Jjumba. The Ssiga head E. Muwanga Alideki was very
knowledgeable about the clan division headed by Jjumba. He died at the age of 121. The
clan head of the clan subdivision [Omutuba] of Kiiso at Kyooko in Buddu died at 120
years of age. He counted him also as one of the grand children of Jjumba. He considered
the clan head Octavo Kawagga Ntumbizi in the same way. The subdivision clan head
[Owoomutuba] Simon Lukwago at Buwere in Mawokota died at the age of 110. He was,
Aliddeki’s, son.
The clan subdivision head Petro Musoke Kanantebye Mugerwa, who was the Secretary
of the [Ssiga] for 30 years, says the following:
Lujjumbajjumba [not Lujumba] was the first Jjumba. He produced the following
children:
1. Kawagga
2. Tamale
3. Ssettumba
4. Kawuki
5. Kiggundu
Ssettumba begot the following children:
1. Wakigo
2. Ssewazike
3. Mugerwa
4. Mukasa
5. Kyolwa
6. Kasota
7. Ssengiri
8. Byakuno
9. Mutenge
10. Wandyake
11. Tyaba
12. Mukasa II
Byakuno begot the following children
1. Ssekajugo
2. Byangwe Bisaso
3. Basesa
4. Kafeero
Byangwe begot the following children:
1. Kiddugavu
2. Nakabaale III Maalo
3. Ssaalongo.
4. Nabugwamu
5. Busenge
6. Mulwanira
7. Munilo
8. Mikago Ngabompya
9. Mwasa
10. Katono
Kiddugavu begot the following children:
1. Victoro Mundukaniko K.
2. Kikubye
3. Nakabaale Wasswa
4. Kinomuge
5. Ndoota
Victoro Kato Mundukaniko begot the following children:
1. Yozefu Kiwanuka Nakabaale
2. Teofiri Kayinja Ssekiziyivu
3. Dominico Ssentongo
4. Regina Nnagawa
It should be remembered that Lujjumbajjumba and Katumba are siblings.. Katumba is the
one who became the first Mugema. These two were sons of Mulegeya. They were grand
children of Bwoya, they were grandchildren of Ssebukyu, they were grand children of
Kiwagalo, they were grand children of Ssali Mukulu, they were grand children of
Sseggululigamba.
It is said that the two lived at Bunjakko in Mawokota. When they died it is there where
they were buried..
The situation being so, what it means is that Archbishop Kiwanuka was the son of V.
Mundukaniko, a grand son of Kiddugavu, a grand son of Byangwe Bisaso, a grand son of
Ssekajjugo, a grand son of Byakuno, a grand son of Wakigo, a grand son of Ssettumba, a
grand son of Lujjumbajjumba (not Lujjumba) a grand son of Mulegeya, a grand son of
Bwoya, a grand son of Ssebukyu, a grand son of Kiwagalo, a grand son of Ssali Mukulu
and a grand son of Ssewaggululigamba..
Kiwanuka descends from the compound of Mundukaniko in the line [Lunyiriri] of
Ssekajjugo in the clan subdivision [Mutuba] of Lukwago of the clan division [Ssiga] of
Jjumba. He is a grand son of Mugema. He is a man who belongs to the Nkima [Monkey]
clan. His mother Nnankya was a grand daughter of Gabunga.
Kiwanuka’s Care for his Ssiga [Clan Division]
Generally speaking there is no doubt that the late Kiwanuka deeply cared for his relatives
in particular, and all the people of Bunjakko in general. He acquired this attitude from the
exemplary disposition of his father, Mundukaniko. Kiwanuka’s father became a Christian
while he was in Buddu, where he was baptized. Afterwards he moved from there and
went to the great uncle Matayo Kirevu. He joined him and settled on Kigoowa village
after he had been baptized as a Catholic at Villa Maria. He moved to Kigoowa with three
others: Kiwanuka, Ibraim Ssebanguya and Rosa Nnabulya.
In Kigoowa the job, Mundukaniko, had, was one of brewing beer for the Honorable S.
Mugwaanya. After he had married, he moved to Nnakirebe in Mawokota where
Kiwanuka was born. When his son Kiwanuka reached schooling age, he left Nnakirebe
and moved to Nakatooke in Butambala. His brother Tamale “Komerera” lived there. At
first it is from here that Kiwanuka came when he started attending school at Mitala
Maria. He moved to Nnakatooke in 1906. When Kiwanuka developed a sore wound on
his leg which incapacitated him from being able to walk about five miles from
Nnakatooke to Mitala Maria, he was taken to his uncle Simon Lukwago in Buwere who
was close to Mundukaniko. Lukwago was born of Mulwakujjula Kato the son of
Ssekajjugo. Lukwago and Mundukaniko were both grand children of Byakuno the son of
Wakigo.In Lukwago’s home there were big grown-up boys. He was suspicious they
could contaminate him with bad ways. For that reason he entrusted him to his relative
Wakayamba.
The sore wound on his leg worsened. He found it very difficult to walk to Mitala Maria
on a daily basis. That is why he was moved from Buwere to the compound of Mitala
Maria Parish to stay with his uncle Augustine Lubutokyooto who was the cook for the
Priests. Augustine Lubutokyooto was the husband of the sister of Kiwanuka’s mother.
To go to the Seminary, he was emulating his elder relative Reverend Father John
Kafeero, the son of Kalyembuzi who lies buried at Buwere. He, Kalyembuzi, was the
beer brewer of Kayima at Butoolo in Mawokota. When he retired from that job, he
returned to his brother Lukwago at Buwere. They, Kafeero and Kiwanuka, were inspired
to become seminarians by Msgr. Victor Mukasa Womeraka. Msgr. Victor Mukasa
Womeraka was born in the village of Luwafu in the area of the Bunjakko island. Because
of the sleeping sickness which broke out on the island of Bunjakko,it is from here that his
parents moved to Buddu. It should be noted that Msgr. Victor Mukasa Womeraka was the
guardian of the heir of Erisa Muwanga Aliddeki the Jjumba. He visited Mitala Maria
Parish after he was ordained a priest. This was a very impressive occasion. Kiwanuka and
Kafeero were ordained priests on the same day, even if Kafeero had gone to the seminary
before Kiwanuka.
By the time these priests received the treasure of priesthood their fathers had already
passed away. The father of Kiwanuka died on the very same day when he was ordained
priest. This is what prevented Lukwago from traveling to Villa. He stayed behind keeping
watch over the body of his relative. Victor Mundukaniko, was buried in Mitala Maria
Parish cemetery.
The feast in celebration of the priestly ordination was arranged by Lukwago at Buwere.
Celebration for the two newly ordained priests was a great one.
When time came for Kiwanuka to travel to Europe for further studies, he came to bid
farewell to his uncle Lukwago. Mr. Joseph Ssali son and heir to Lukwago died without
forgetting what his relative Fr. Kiwanuka had said when he came to bid them farewell.
He says that Faza told him that: “ I am gone to compete with a white person’s child”.
When he returned he narrated to him about the game of chess he played with and beat
Europeans. Ssali and Fr. Kiwanuka were almost of the same age.
On the occasion when Kiwanuka was elevated to becoming a Bishop there was a great
feasting at Mitala Maria. His great uncle Erisa Muwanga Aliddeki transported NATTA
and MAVUMIRIZI .the ritual drums of the Ssiga, clan divisional chiefdom, as Jjumba.
He made them cross the river Lukolo. It is these drums which were applied to sound the
clan ceremonial drum beat: “Talya nkima …” On that day the Bishop planted a Muvule
tree in the school building compound, where he had attended school. The following days
he crossed the river Lukolo and went to pay a visit with Jjumba. He planted a
monumental Muvule tree in the compound of Jjumba. This tree is still there.
On his way either to or from Kampala Bishop Kiwanuka would usually pass by Buwere
to see his uncle Lukwago.
Lukwago died in 1949. Bishop Kiwanuka crossed Lweera for the burial of his uncle.. He
is the one who presided over the celebration of the funeral Mass. During that time, a
Bishop to come for the burial of an ordinary person who is not a Kabaka’s chief, you can
really imagine that he was very close to him.
I have not been able to find out whether Kiwanuka did also plant a Muvule tree at
Lujumba’s place in Bulenga, or whether there was any other great uncle or elder relative
he may have gone to attend a funeral for... I do not know whether Lujjumba participated
in the ceremonies of the priestly ordination or of the consecration of the Bishop.
The names belonging to members of the Nkima clan can cause uncertainty. Even if
almost every Ssiga has its official names the names of the Ssiga of Kisambu and Mwanga
are similar. Some people confuse Jjumba and Lujjumba. In general it is not easy to find a
person on the street and ask him the official names of the Ssiga of the clan the person
belongs to and be in position of telling you those names. Nevertheless, one might find
that Kiwanuka was NAKABAALE of Bunjako even if that name did not exist in the
Ssiga of Lujumba but existed in the Ssiga of Mande in Kabembe.
We should also remember that the times of Mundukaniko and Lukwago, were war times
under Mwanga and the Muslims. My Grandfather Lukwago who fought during these
wars says that they were guerilla wars. And that they greatly caused displacement of
peoples. Some people found themselves being connected with clans which were not
theirs. At the end of these wars people slowly and gradually recovered from
displacements.
Many problems which face clans started during this period of wars. Political chiefs
contributed very much to confusing clans. High positioned chiefs indiscriminately
promoted their friends by allotting to them clan freehold estates which did not pertain to
the clans of those chiefs. Lubiike as Jjumba did not belong to Nkima clan, but S.
Mugwanya had promoted him to the Jjumbaship. Members of the clan complained, then
he chose Luyimbazi, but he also descended from the mutuba of Muyeeyebwa in
Waduduma which was a junior mutuba which did not qualify to produce a Jjumba. The
people of Bunjako complained until they chose Erisa Muwanga Aliddeki to be the
Jjumba. Many clans were affected in the same way by the war situation.
I the writer on these matters my name is Matia Lukwago Byakuno. I am the son of
Yozefu Ssali. I am a grand son of Simon Lukwago Mayanja Nnagalale, I am a great
grandson of Ssekajugo. I am a great great son of Byakuno. I am a great great son of
Ssettumba. I am a great great great son of Mulegeya, etc.
I am currently the head of the Mutuba of Lukwago in Buwere. My mother is Veria
Nnakiyaga a granddaughter of Gabunga. I belong to Nkima clan. I originate in the
compound of S. Lukwago by the lineage of Ssekajugo within the mutuba of Lukwago in
the Ssiga of Jjumba. I am a great great, great, great grandson of Mugema.
Long live Ssabasajja.
M.S.B. Lukwago
P.S.
I have written this writing at the age of 75. From the year 1951 to the year 1954, I lived in
Kitovu close to the Rt Rev. Bishop Kiwanuka. Very often I accompanied him on his walk
to the site where a Hospital was being built. Sometimes he would take this walk with
Rev. Fr. Kalange. I am a man from Bunjako. My grandfather Lukwago owned a freehold
land on Bunjako. It is sleepsickness which forced them to move to Buwere.
MSBL.