Buganda kingdom Coronation Site – Naggalabi Buddo
Buganda kingdom Coronation Site: Naggalabi hill is a very important historical site to the Buganda kingdom. Why? Because it is believed that the Buganda Kingdom begins from here and scatters to other parts. It is also said that if the drums refuse the Coronation process of the king then he can’t be a King of Buganda. At this coronation site you explore the most important aspects of the kingdom from the past Kings to the present.
It was established back in the 14th Century, Naggalabi-Buddo Hill is the place where the kings (Kabakas) of Buganda Kingdom have always been enthroned for the past 8 centuries including the reigning king Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II. Naggalabi hill top is believed to be the place where the first Buganda king Kintu won a battle for kingship after a fight with his prince brother Bemba thus declaring that all kings be crowned here.
This site is also vital to tourists in the kingdom and also to anyone doing a Buganda cultural trail or a Uganda cultural Safaris. Nagalabi coronation site is situated at Nagalabi in Busiro County of Buganda along Kampala – Masaka highway. The hill is also the location of several elementary, middle and high schools, including Kings College Budo, a prestigious mixed boarding high school, attended by Buganda’s Kings starting with Captain Sir Daudi Chwa II, the thirty-fourth (34th) Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, who reigned between 1987 and 1939.
The coronation process
Six kabakas of Buganda Kingdom from Kabaka Chwa have gone through the same rituals of coronation at the Site.
The crown prince starts on his journey, but all the other princes are arrested and locked up in one place to avoid any inconvenience that could come through hijacking the throne by any of the other princes and he never bypasses a fellow prince or else out of anger they could injure him.
Mayanja had twin princes (traditionally refer to water bodies) with Kato (the junior twin) stretching through Seguku, Nateete to buloba and Wasswa (senior twin) stretching along Jinja Kalooli, ssenge to Masuulita.
The crown prince’s route therefore had to be a neutral name bypassing these two hence the name “Nebalamye Mayanja” literally translated as “I am escaping/bypassing Mayanja (the twins). Nakibuuka is the site at the hill that welcomes you having used the Nebalamye Mayanja route, it is the final place for the rituals.
On the hill, the crown prince heads to Enyumba Buganda or Buganda House. He spends a number of days in here as he is being prepared, in the past it would take the king 18 days in the same house. The days have gradually been reduced as time goes by due to changing times and the sort of guests that come to attend the coronation rituals who can’t wait that long.
From Buganda house, the crown prince is taken to Bwanika but before he enters, he undertakes a ritual cleansing bath. In Buganda, this ritualistic bath normally taken on babies or but even adults is called “EKYOGERO” while the crown Prince’s ritual bath is called “AKOGERO”.
From Bwanika, he is then taken to a place called Magato. Here, his feet are strapped with traditional sandals which in essence depict that his feet are ready to take on duty. After being strapped, the prince is now ready to be crowned kings.
Therefore, this 30minutes drive from Kampala to Naggalabi Buddo, offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy the rich traditional experience that involves exploring the coronation grounds on a Uganda Cultural Safari.
