REIGN OF OMUKAMA KABALEGA

• Kabalega was born in 1830 to Omukama Kamurasi.
• He spent his early years in Bulega where he acquired the name Kabalega meaning son of Bulega.
• After the death of his father in 1869, Kabalega was involved in a power struggle with his brother Kabigumire.
• Kabigumire was supported by the royal family and provincial chiefs.
• Kabalega used the support of the commoners, Arab mercenaries and his father’s body guards to defeat his brother.
• Kabalega ascended to power in 1870.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF KABALEGA

• He started with the defeat of the opposition from the royal family by killing and exiling members of the royal Family and chiefs who supported his rival brother Kabigumire.
• Kabalega established a highly centralized administration with him as the political head.
• He had a chain of chiefs in the provinces to ensure stability.
• Kabalega built a strong standing army of the Abarusula well armed with guns acquired from the L.D.T with Arabs.
• Kabalega destroyed the social system of classes in the society and even appointed commoners to positions of responsibility.
• Kabalega expanded the Kingdom to occupy areas such as Toro, Bwamba, Bulega, Katwe, Lango, Buganda e.t.c and many others. This was done with the help of the Abarusula.
• Kabalega encouraged trade with the coastal Arabs and Khartoumers from the North e.g. Bunyoro supplied Ivory and salt and in return she got guns.
• Kabalega encouraged the Banyoro to grow enough food especially millet to reduce famine.
• He also built enough granaries (food stores) which ensured proper food storage.
• Kabalega encouraged the spirit of nationalism among the Banyoro for example he always reminded them of the Baganda threat and that if they didn’t unite Buganda would finish them off.
• However Kabalega’s programme of building Bunyoro was interfered with by the British.
• In 1891, he engaged the British in the guerilla warfare as he resisted colonial rule.
• In 1898, he was captured in Lango with Mwanga and was sent to exile in Seychelles Island.
•  Kabalega died later in 1923 in Jinja as he tried to return to Bunyoro from exile.

Kabalega was buried at Mparo in present day Hoima district