By Mathias Lutwama
The grand origins of naggalabi buddo, are well traced in the 12th century AD, with a pivotal hill that was utilised by kabaka kintu, to wage a gruesome warfare, against Bemba Musota, who had enthroned himself on the throne of Buganda( Nnamulondo)
Prior to this golden age, there had been in existence a lineage of kings that began with the reign of Kabaka Ttanda in the 5th century, an which lasted for 700 years till ssekabaka Buganda Bbemba
Kabaka Kintu’s enthronement ushered in fundamental changes, a constitution for the kingdom that was promulgated in busujju, with a unification of all clans in Buganda
Naggalabi as a hill has an attribution of many trees which are raw materials for making long drums ( engalabi) had been used for long, as a multipurpose place, by 4 of the original kings of buganda. These were Kabaka Kyebagaba ( 1011-1022), Kabaka Bazunga( 1022-1040), kabaka Lukiiko ( 1040- 1050), Kabaka Mutimbwa ( 1050-1070).The same transpired of Bemba Musota in 1200.
After the demise of ssekabaka Buganda, whose palace was in lunnyo ntebe, Bbemba Musota forcefully assumed the throne. Bbemba was a fierce autocrat who murdered so many of his subjects, forcing kintu into self imposed exile, beginning a protracted warfare against Musota
Kintu mysteriously returned and mobilised patriotic forces from ssese islands, with nefarious fighters like Mukiibi Ndugwa and Ssennakiro Buddo, who commanded an equivalent of a battalion
With good organisational warfare, Bbemba Musota was subsequently killed , at a place called Nakibuuka, behind a termite hill. To this day, kings are enthroned in this place, in sacred remembrance of kintu, who decimated the reign of terror by Bbemba Musota
Its pertinent to note, that Ssekabaka Buganda, had officially assigned one of his sons lukumbirutono, the noble task of crowning a king at a given time. When Kintu became king of buganda, he carried on this cherished custom. In our modern times, Lukumbirutono is called Ssemanobe.
On the day of sanctified glory, when a king is to be crowned, Ssemanobe mobilises ganda fighters, who wage war against ssabataka, the next king in line. This indefatigable war is called olutalo lwebirumbirumbi. It is herein that a place called Nnaayotaakaliro, where Kintu wrestled with Bemba Musota, in a historic bloody war, is visibly entrenched
On the night preceding coronation, the Prince awaiting the throne, is mandated to spend a night in a house called Buganda, in remembrance of Kabaka Buganda, whose palace was in Mpatta, Bukasa islands.
That then, with traditional flavor, makes Naggalabi Buddo, a sanctuary of Ganda treasures, the well acclaimed ceremony of crowning Kings, at such a spot , having lasted for the last 800 years
Nota Bene: MATHIAS LUTWAMA AFRIKA is a grand son of Heneriko Lwamulungi Teluggwa Matenda, a former Saza Chief to Ssekabaka Chwa
