Luo Migration

At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Luo the ancestors of Acholi, Alur, Paluo, Jopadhola, Joluo, and Babiito were forced out of their cradle land in Bahr-el-Ghazal South Sudan. Some reasons for the Luo migration include: overpopulation, human and animal diseases, natural hazards like droughts and floods, external pressure from the Galla tribes men, as well as internal conflicts. Some moved northwards to Shiluk, others moved eastwards to Anuku and some of them continued through Ethiopia past Agoto Hills to northern Uganda. The majority group, however is said to have moved from Rumbek southwards along the Nile, and settled at Pubungu near Pakwach. This group is said to have been under the leadership of Olum.

Olum had three sons namely; Gipiri (Nyapiri), Labongo (Kyebambi), and Tiful. It is said that at Pubungu, Gipiri and Labongo conflicted over the royal spear which was their symbol of Power. Thereafter, they separated. Gipiri leading a group of people crossed the Nile and went to the land of Lendu and Okebu and produced the Alur. The Alur speak Lwo and maintain other elements of Luo culture.Tiful is said to have moved to west Nile also but little is known about his movement and settlements there.

Labongo moved northeast wards from Pubungu towards present Acholi. In the process, the Labongo group intermarried with and assimilated some Sudanic speaking people in northern Uganda and produced the Acholi. By the beginning of the 18th century they were firmly settled in Acholi. There, they encountered the Langi who had been living in Acholi ford about two hundred years. Soon conflicts emerged between the Acholi and the Langi and this forced the Langi to move southwards to Lake Kioga region. The Acholi continued to interact and intermarry with the Langi. In the process, the Langi lost their Ateker language and began speaking Luo. They also lost their pastoral element and became settled agriculturalists because the area around L. Kioga was not conducive pastoralism. Therefore, although the Langi speak Lwo, in actual fact they are not Luo but Nilo-Hamites.

Another group of Luo moved southwards from Pubungu and settled in Pawir which today is settled by the Bagungu. A small group known as the Bito-Luo led by Isingoma Mpunga Rukidi moved on and settled in Bunyoro peacefully and established the Babiito dynasty. The political influence was limited to a new kingdom which came to be known as Bunyoro Kitara. It lasted until 1967 when the new constitution introduced by Milton Obote abolished Kingdoms in Uganda and set up a republic. Those Luo who went to Bunyoro were assimilated. They lost their language and culture and became bantuised. However, they introduced pet names among the Banyoro. It is not clear whether there was an interaction between the Bachwezi and Babiito although traditions attempt to link them.

The Origin of the Babiito

Babiito the royal clan of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom originated from Luo. Around 1550 AD one of the Luo chiefdoms settled on the northern bank of Victoria Nile at the present day Chobe Safari Lodge. The Chief (Rwot) of that chiefdom had two sons who were twin brothers: Opio and Ocen.

When the Chief died, Opio the elder son ascended to the throne as it was the tradition. As Opio’s reign progressed, Ocen became jealous. He petitioned the Council of elders (Ludito kaka) that he should also be given the opportunity to head the chiefdom. He argued that since they are twin brothers who virtually shared everything, both of them should be given equal treatment.

There was a heated debate in the chiefdom over the matter. With most people expressing opposing views. But with the influence of his mother, Ocen managed to convince the Council of elders. Opio was forced to relinquish the throne and was replaced by Ocen. The sudden change of leadership caused division in the chiefdom.

As Opio was grappling with life without prestige, Ocen became suspicious that Opio could reclaim the throne. He hatched a plan to assassinate him. Fortunately, the assassination plan leaked. Opio and his supporters escaped and camped at the foot of a big tree north-east of Chobe Safari Lodge. When Ocen learnt of the escape, he was furious and killed all those he suspected to have aided Opio to escape.

When the massacre news reached Opio, he remarked that “Wan kara onongo WABITOO oko” which translates as “If we had not escaped, we would have died” The big tree where they took refuge thus acquired the name “Wabitoo’. (This is the present-day “Tee-Biito” situated in the northern part of Murchison Falls Park). The word “Wabitoo,” later became the clan name which Bantu dialect turned to “Babiito”.

Opio and his henchmen out of fear crossed Victoria Nile and settled at Pawir a Paluo clan. This was to gather support from their Luo kinsmen and prepare for the challenges ahead.

They later form a new chiefdom and name it  Babiito. Opio was installed at the head of the chiefdom. Pawir clan in solidarity gave Opio a Royal drum (Bul-ker) and declared him “Won-bul” (Ise-ngoma). That is how he got the name “Isingoma”. This was in fulfillment of Luo tradition where a Royal drum is a must instrument of power for a chiefdom.

At Pawir the Babiito deliberately named some of their male children “KER-ALEGA” which translates as “Requested throne”. The application of the word “Ker-alega” was to sent a message to Ocen that he is not a legitimate chief (Rwot) of that chiefdom. The name “Ker-alega” later became KABALEGA.

From Pawir, the Babiito moved southwards and settled south-east of the present-day Masindi Municipal. Their choice of the place was based on the fertility of the land and the availability of water. When the settlement was well established, there was a prolonged rainfall and the place was flooded.

Opio (Isingoma) then assembled his people to brief them on the next course of action, the first statement he made was “Wagony KAMA-RAC” which translates as “We have settled in a BAD PLACE”. This is how the place acquired the name “Kama-rac,” the present-day Kamurasi.

When they left Kamurasi, the Babiito continued southwards and settled in the present-day Mubende District. Within their settlement, there was a rock and on that rock, there were mweso holes. The 32 holes in 4 rows of 8 holes each were carefully chiselled in the rock by ancient artisans. Mweso is a common board game in Africa.

In Luo “Mweso holes” is called “BUR-CORO”. In the course of interacting with other people, the Babiito use to call their settlement “Bur-coro”. Gradually the word became not only the name of the settlement but also the chiefdom. Pronunciation shift from Nilotic to Bantu accent transformed “Bur-coro” to “Bunyoro”.

The name Kitara which was annexed to Bunyoro to become “Bunyoro Kitara” also came from Luo word “KITAARA” which means a stretcher. It was a common practice in Africa for Kings/Chiefs to be carried on locally made stretchers when on the move, and Opio (Isingoma) was not exceptional. That is how the word Kitara was associated with the chiefdom.

When the Babiito were joined by remnants of Chwezi kingdom, the chiefdom was enlarged and transformed into a fully-fledged Kingdom. Opio (Isingoma) underwent additional enthronement rituals before ascending to the new throne. He then became lsingoma Rukidi Mpuga Okali the first king (Omukama) of the great Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.

Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom was extensive but certainly smaller than that of their predecessor. Nkore had broken away before the arrival of the Babiito while Buganda seceded during the reign of the first king Isingoma Rukidi Mpuga. The Basoga broke off much later as evidence by the link between the Baisengobi and the Babiito.

There is a misconception that the Babiito conquered Chwezi kingdom before establishing Bunyoro Kitara kingdom. That is not true. The Babiito arrived when Chwezi kingdom had degenerated to the point of collapse. Their intervention was to bridge the leadership gap and restore order.

Besides the Babiito was a small group that could not defeat the vast and mighty Chwezi kingdom. That is why when they were joined by remnants of Chwezi kingdom they were swallowed up and even gave up their language and culture except for names and praises.

The Batooro

Toro Kingdom traces its lineage from the Batembuzi dynasty.

The first kings were of the Batembuzi dynasty. Batembuzi means “harbingers” or “pioneers”. 

The Batembuzi and their reign are not well documented, and are surrounded by a lot of myth and oral legend. They were believed have been the first people on earth and were super-humans because they did not die. They simply disappeared into the underworld.

It is said the dynasty of the Batembuzi was founded by Ruhanga, the creator who was succeeded by his brother Nkya and Nkya was succeeded by his son Kakama and Kakama was succeeded by his son Bada, who was succeeded by his son Ngonzaki; then by Isaza, the last king of the Batembuzi dynasty.

Isaza later went to the underground kingdom of Nyamiyonga to look for his lost cow Bihogo.  Isaza handed over to Bukuku who belonged to the Abaranzi Clan.

Bukuku was succeeded by Ndahura the first of the Bachwezi people.

Ndahura was the son of Isimbwa. Isimbwas’ mother, Nyamate the daughter of Nyamiyonga king of the underworld was impregnated by Isaza; then Isaza has descended into the underworld. This was the connection of the Bachwezi to the Batembuzi people.

The Bachwezi dynasty are credited with the founding of the ancient empire of Kitara; which included areas of present day central, western, and southern Uganda; northern Tanzania, western Kenya, and eastern Congo.

Just like their predecessors the Tembuzi, the Chwezi possessed divine powers and at the same time, human characteristics and were thus referred to as demi gods since they belonged to earth and the underworld as well. It was their divine nature which made them great magicians and hunters.

However, their origin remains a mystery and is subject to great debate by several historians. It is highly believed that the Chwezi ruled this great empire for about 200 years, that is, from the 14th Century to the 16th Century, and according to the oral tradition, two kings ruled the empire: Ndahura and Wamara.

Nevertheless, some accounts record three kings that is, Mulindwa, Ndahura’s half-brother is said to have been a predecessor to Wamara. An administrative capital was established at Bigo bya Mugenyi and it is very much deemed to have been an urban center according to discoveries made by several archaeologists during the present day.

The beginning of the collapse of the Chwezi Empire was marked by the death of their beloved cow, Bihogo, and this came in fulfillment of a prophecy that if it died, the empire would crumble. Wamara, the last king of the dynasty was also said to be a weak ruler and that is why he failed to defend his people from external attack thus making it vulnerable to its enemies.

The Nilotic Luo invasion of the Kitara Empire marked the final blow, leading to its eventual collapse and this was in fulfillment of an earlier prophesy that dark-skilled people from the north would invade the empire.

The Luo under the leadership of Isingoma Rukiidi Mpuga overran the Chwezi, who had been weakened by several factors like disease and famine around 1500 AD, making them to flee to distant parts of the collapsed empire, while some were believed to have vanished to the underworld since they possessed a divine status. It is only after the Luo conquest that “Kitara Empire” became the “Bunyoro Kitara Empire” and thus the establishment of the Babito dynasty with Isingoma Rukiidi Mpuga becoming the first king (Omukama) of the Bunyoro Kitara Empire whose reign is placed around the 14th century. Several kings ruled the empire in succession.