History - Kkobe Clan Cultural Heritage

The Legend of the Kkobe Totem

What is Kkobe? Kkobe (is a creeping plant) grown as a food crop. Its fruit is harvested and prepared wholesomely by steaming in banana leaves. It is a delicacy for other Baganda but not the members of the Kkobe clan (Abekkobe), for them it is a taboo to eat it.

The great grandfather and founder of the Kkobe clan, Nsereko Kalamazi, served under the command of King Kintu (1200-1230). They came from exile in Eastern Uganda to attack and overthrow the notorious Bemba Musota, then King of Buganda.

On their way, Nsereko met a girl and fell in love with her and later proposed to her. One day Nsereko in an entourage of friends went to be introduced to his future in-laws. They were warmly welcomed, seated down on animal skins and served to a banquet.

In the middle of the delicious meal, a kkobe fruit fell and hit Nsereko's bald head. Oh! This was a terrible embarrassment to Nsereko in front of the in-laws!"

From that day he cursed the kkobe and he swore and directed that his children and grand children never to eat kkobe. Hence kkobe became their totem to this day.

Nsereko Kalamazi's Legacy

Marriage and Children

The girl Nsereko courted was Namboozo (later changed to Nambooze). He married her and she gave him children, each named to commemorate the kkobe incident:

Male

Meaning: "let's do away with kkobe"

Busuulwa

Meaning: "let us throw away kkobe for good"

Ssebuliba

in memory of the skins on which Nsereko was seated when the kkobe hit him.

Nambooze

Named after her mother

Nsereko Kalamazi joined hands with King Kintu and together they overthrew Bemba Musota, known in Buganda history as a dictator, killer, oppressor, and very corrupt ruler.

After victory, Nsereko settled in Kanyanya near Magonga, Busujju county. Later, he requested the king to be offered Buzimwa area in Mawokota where his brothers had settled earlier. Nsereko's brothers were:

Gubiri
Kakulukuku
Nalugunju

They were under the rule of a Munyoro called Kasamu, The four brothers joined hands and chased away Kasamu, a Munyoro ruler, and other Banyoro chiefs around Teketwe (present-day Buwama), the administrative headquarters of the Kkobe clan.

The Origin of "Nnamwama"

Nsereko was known for his tactical ways and wisdom in answering the king's questions. He was always first to respond with quick and wise answers, earning him the name 'Namuyama' which later changed to 'Nnamwama'. In Lusese language, 'kwama' means to be the first or to welcome.

Sacred Duty

Nsereko was assigned the duty of regularly fetching god Mukasa (god of the sea and fertility) from Ssese, whenever there was need for divine intervention. The King would ask: "Omugenyi wamuyama?" (did you welcome the guest?), and Nsereko would respond: "Omugenyi namuyama" (Yes, your majesty, I welcomed the visitor).

From 'Namuyama' - Nnamwama, the name of the clan's administrative headquarters evolved: Buwama, in Mawokota county.

Nsereko's Immediate Descendants

The Kkobe clan forefather Nsereko had more than ten children, however, the following became very famous:

1. Namukangula

A great hunter during King Kintu's reign. He would hunt for the king's meat. He settled in Buzimwa, had no children, and was succeeded by his brother Nankule upon his death.

2. Lwabiriza

King Kintu's chief who settled in Magonga, Busujju county. The king honored him with land in Katoolingo, Busiro county and assigned him duties of:

Digging graves for dead princes
Removing jaw-bones from dead kings for preservation and honour

His most prominent son was Junior Lwabiriza who accompanied prince Kalemeera to Bunyoro.

3. Mabingo Magere

In charge of fixing the king's spear, used for piercing a kob whose skin made the special royal dress called enkanamo. Mabingo settled in Magonga.

4. Kiraga and his sister Nambwami

Placed by Nsereko as symbols of his parentage. When he had twins, they stood in for Nsereko's deceased parents during the ritual called "Okumenya olukanda."

5. Kyana of Tiribogo

From Mawokota county, leads the royal lineage (Olunyiriri olulangira) in the Kkobe clan.

6. Walubandwa - Kabengwa

A great hunter who lived in Buzimwa with other Kkobe clan members and died there.

7. Nakanyakaali

Father to Kakinda of Jjalamba and Mukooge of Ggolo, Mawokota county.

Nsereko had other sons like Kayiwa, Busulwa among others.

Important Locations

Burial Grounds: Buzimwa, Ssabagabo - Mudduuma subcounty, 22 miles along Mityana road
Administrative Headquarters: Buwama Musaale Subcounty along Kampala-Masaka road
Mysterious Disappearance: Nsereko Kalamazi vanished at Teketwe hill - Buwama

Nsereko had a spear known as "Mazina gandigita" he used in many expansion and conquest wars against the Banyoro. He captured Teketwe, Kayenye, Misindye and Kyabadaaza from them.

Nsereko's last battle against the Banyoro extended as far as Kayenje and Misindye in Mawokota. During this war he sounded his war drum Tagobwa (the unchallengeable) commanded one of the platoons and usually on the front line. His son Kabengwa who loved his dog like life itself commanded another platoon. He changed the sounding of his father's drum to; "Embwa ekooye gireete erye eggumba. Ye omukazi leka eyo" meaning, "My dog is worn out and hungry serve it with food, don't mind the woman." That lyric later formed part of the Kkobe clan traditional anthem (Omubala).
After Nsereko Kalamazi had defeated all the Banyoro around Teketwe (Buwama) he asked Kabaka Kintu for permission to settle there so as to continue with the responsibility of always fetching Mukasa from Ssese. It was for this reason that Nsereko acquired two territories including Buzimwa.

Prominent Kkobe Clansmen of Historical Times

These were some of the great men and women in the Kingdom of Buganda who made significant contributions to the kingdom's growth and are still remembered today:

1. Nsereko Kalamazi

The forefather and founder of the Kkobe clan was a fierce warrior who joined hands with Kabaka Kintu to defeat the notorious Bbemba Musota. He also defeated the Banyoro from Mawokota and Butambala counties.

2. Kyewaalabye of Kaabyuma

County chief of Buweekula. From him, the name/title Luweekula was derived because whenever Banyoro women heard the mention of Kyewaalabye's name, they would flee carrying their young ones on their backs. It would only be at a distance that they got the children from the backs "okuweekula" and feed them. From "okuweekula" the nickname Luweekula for Kyewalabye originated. Kyewalabye defeated the Banyoro in Buweekula county during the reign of Kabaka Kamaanya. He assumed the title Luweekula after many conquests, and became a county chief of Buweekula. Before this he was a sub-county chief of Ssabagabo Ssingo.

After defeating the Banyoro, the warriors remembered the women they had left some distance behind. When Kyewaalabye was asked whether to go for their women counterparts, he said, "Abakazi leka eyo kasita embwa zange nzitutte", meaning, "leave those careless and useless women alone, it is to my advantage that I have my dogs with me." This further contributed the dog's prominence in the Kkobe clan anthem (mubala).

There was a Munyoro black Smith living in Kaabyuma village he was called Lukubabyuma. In this village there were iron deposits, which Lukababyuma would mine, smelt and make implements of metal. Kyewaalabye chased the black smith from the village. The village's name has its etymology from "byuma" meaning metal, hence Kaabyuma meaning a village of iron (metal).

The Dog Legend

It is said that one time Kyewaalabye was waging an expansion war against the Banyoro, and got tired, before he slept, he assigned the women to keep watch and to wake the warriors up if anything suspicious happened; unfortunately however, even the women fell into deep sleep. If the dogs had not taken over the responsibility of watching over the camp, the Banyoro would have made a surprise attack on Kyewaalabye and his men.

3. Ssebuliba of Buddo

Is another great Kkobe clan member of historical times. He lived and excelled during the reign of Kabaka Ssemakookiro. He was the man the Kabaka asked for a big favour. It is said that following directives of the Kabaka's fortuneteller, Ssebuliba was requested that he be locked in a grass-thatched house and it was set on fire. The aim of this was to tell whether Ssemakookiro would defeat Jjunju his brother or not. If Ssebuliba survived the fire, that would prove the Kabaka's victor and vice versa.

Ssebuliba survived the fire together with his dog, yet all his wives and children deserted him. He pampered the dog even the more after this incident, so the dog came out prominently even then.

Later Kabaka Ssemakookiro made Ssebuliba his Chief over Buddo Coronation grounds.

4. Mutumba

A great warrior during Kabaka Kyabaggu's time. He also played a role in expanding the Buganda Kingdom westwards. He chased the Banyoro chiefs that occupied Lubanja in Ssingo County together with their people.

Among the great Banyoro chiefs Mutumba chased was the great Namunkululu. After his victory Mutumba resolved to protect the new territory.

He got help from Namwamma who sent him men led by his son Ssebuliba. When Ssebuliba reached Lubanja area, he continued with conquering the Banyoro to the last one.

5. The Ssebuliba River Legend

A legend goes that, one-day Ssebuliba was coming back home from war and he urinated in a small valley. The direction the urine took mysteriously became a source of a brook called Ssebuliba, to date. It is at the source of this river that Namwama planted "omutuba" for Ssebuliba, omutuba tree planting in this case served as the symbol for ownership of the land in question.

6. Notable Women of the Kkobe Clan

Namale Nkomommo - King's court entertainer during Kabaka Edward Muteesa II
Hadija Namale and Maliyamy Namale - who were also great entertainers

Legacy and Heritage

The War Drum

Nsereko had a spear known as "Mazina gandigita" and a war drum called "Tagobwa" (the unchallengeable) used in expansion wars against the Banyoro, capturing Teketwe, Kayenye, Misindye, and Kyabadaaza.

Clan Traditional Anthem Extracts

The clan anthem (Omubala) includes the lyric: "Embwa ekooye gireete erye eggumba. Ye omukazi leka eyo" (My dog is worn out and hungry, serve it with food, don't mind the woman).

Historical Significance

The Kkobe clan played a crucial role in the formation and expansion of the Buganda Kingdom, from the time of King Kintu through various reigns. Their military prowess, strategic wisdom, and cultural contributions have left an indelible mark on Buganda's history.

Today, the clan continues to preserve these traditions and stories, passing them down through generations while maintaining their cultural identity and ancestral connections to Buzimwa, Buwama and other sacred sites.

The History of Kkobe Clan