Kyabazinga of Busoga

Isebantu Kyabazinga or Kyabazinga of Busoga is the title given to the ruler of the Kingdom of Busoga in Uganda. Isebantu means "father of the people." This name was a symbol of unity derived from the expression and recognition by the people of Busoga that their leader was the "father of all people who brings all of them together", and who also serves as their cultural leader. The current Kyabazinga of Busoga is William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV, born on 1st November 1988 and was coronated on 13 September 2014. The queen consort to the Kyabazinga is known as Inhebantu.

Before Europeans came to Busoga, the Basoga organized themselves into 11 hereditary chiefdoms; with five of the leaders tracing their ancestry directly from Bunyoro, and the other six tracing their origins from Buganda. There was no king, although the chiefs often met and discussed issues of common interest. When they met, the chiefs would select a chairperson from among themselves to chair the session. They often met in Bukaleeba in Bunya (modern-day Mayuge District). In 1894, the Colonial administrator, one William Grant, picked and formed a native chief’s council under his chairmanship. Later, Semei Kakungulu, a Muganda, was brought in to make the chief's council conform to colonial rule. In 1905, with his efforts frustrated by internal bickering, he was dismissed. The 11 chiefs were asked to select from among themselves someone to represent their interests at the seat of the colonial government which was based in Bugembe, in modern-day Jinja District. At first the title of the leader of the group was referred to as "Chairman", which later changed to "President". Then the chiefs coined the title to Kyabazinga in 1939.

As of March 2015^[update], the following is the list of the names of the eleven Busoga Chiefs.

The Kyabazinga of Busoga was abolished in 1967 when Milton Obote, the self-declared President of Uganda at that time, disbanded all traditional institutions within the country. The Kyabazinga was restored with the restoration of traditional institutions in 1993 and Busoga re-coroneted Henry Wako Muloki on 11 February 1995."

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