Overview of the Ffumbe Clan |
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Secondary Totem:(Akabbiro) |
Kikere (Frog) |
Head Of Clan:(Ow'Akasolya) |
Walusimbi |
Clan Seat:(Obutaka) |
Bakka, Busiro |
Clan Mottoes:(Emibala) |
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The Ffumbe Clan is one of the five original clans (Bannansangawo) of Buganda. All members of the Ffumbe clan descend from BUGANDA NTEGE WALUSIMBI. His seat or headquarters (obutaka), which is also for the clan, is situated at BAKKA in Busiro (just a few kilometres on Kampala-Hoima road). The oral history relates that when the nation Buganda was still called Muwaawa, the hill on which the Ffumbe seat is located was called Kisirikikadde or Namwezi. It got the name Bakka during Kabaka Kagulu Tebuucwereke's reign. The people who escaped Kagulu's reign of terror used to seek refuge at Bakka and when they were descending down the hill, people used to point to them saying "baabo bakka" meaning 'there they are going down the hill'. Since then, the place is called Bakka. Legends say that Walusimbi was created on Bakka. He had many names, including the following:
The names illustrate the importance and honour that Walusimbi had. He was the leader of Buganda before the return of Kintu who later became the first Kabaka. The three known wives of Walusimbi are:- 1) Nakalaama , the first wife and a mother of twins; 2) Bandi the second wife; and 3) Kaamungolo.
The Ffumbe clan has three masiga and they are: -
Nagaya at Bakka Busiro: - The following are the sub-clan elders (to be updated)
Ssempala Ssejjala at Bulamba Bulemeezi: - The following are the sub-clan elders
Magunda at Lwanga Mawokota: - The following are the sub-clan elders (Ab'emituba)
Clan Mottoes
How the Fumbe (the Civet cat) became our totem
Our great Grandfather and the founder of the clan went to hunt and he laid a trap. When the animal fell into the trap, Walusimbi (Walusiri) went to see his catch but the animal was still alive and it bit him. He cried out, calling his children to come and help him. His first born Makubuya was the first on the scene and he killed the small animal. He then asked "Kasolo ki kano akakaabya Ttaata akayirigombe?" meaning "what a small animal that has caused daddy to screech". Mukubuya belittled the animal disregarding the fact that it was this small animal which had inflicted such pain on his father. Mukubuya implied that his father should not have screeched to that level. So Walusimbi was annoyed and gave his first born one more name NAGAYA that can be translated "I despised". Mukubuya never got the right to be the heir to his father, but he got a ssiga at Bakka called Nagaya (Nagaya e Buleza).
Walusimbi's son Ntege Kaweesa picked the herbs or medicine called Magunda which he mixed and dressed his father's wound and the wound healed, from then Walusimbi gave Ntege Kaweesa yet another name in recognition of this action. The name he gave him was Magunda after those herbs. He was given the ssiga at Boza at Nvule hill but after a smallpox outbreak, he moved to Lwanga (Magunda e Lwanga)
Walusimbi's other son, Sejjala tied a rope around the small animal and dragged it into the bush. From then Walusimbi gave him the name Ssempala and gave him a ssiga at Bulamba (Ssempla e Bulamba). The other child Nakku, being a girl, never received a ssiga but she was given land at Ganda (Nakku e Ganda) and she and her heirs retain is a very important role both in the Ffumbe clan and the the whole of Buganda.
Another son who raised the alarm that an animal has bitten daddy was later named Kasolo, he was the youngest of the four boys. Kasolo was the one that Walusimbi selected to be his heir. It is from Kasolo's descendants that the head of the clan, who takes the title Walusimbi, is selected.
Important duties of the Ffumbe clan toward the Kabaka and Buganda
Names of the Ffumbe clan
In the olden days every sub-clan lineage (ssiga) had its own distinct names and when one heard the name, one could easily point out that person belongs to a given ssiga. The times have changed and different clan lineage or clan elders (masigas) began to use names from other clan lineage or clan elders. There are certain names, however that have continued to be a reserve of given lineage. For example Ssempala, Magunda and Nagaya have remained in their respective original. At the beginning names (such as Walusimbi, Magunda, Nagaya and Ssempala) of the first clan elders were a preserve of only those who held the title of the clan but now they are commonly used throughout the ffumbe clan.
The names below are presented under the different sub-clans as they were before the said changes occurred.
Ag'omu kasolya k'ekika (From the head lineage) and Nagaya at Buleza
Take not that Nagaya (first born of Walusimbi) got to be a clan elder but was denied to be chief heir to his father however Makubuya Kasolo the youngest became the chief heir (was given a sub-lineage under his elder brother Nagaya)
Boys' names (Nagaya at Buleza) |
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Balimwezo |
Kasolo |
Kisaasazi |
Lunjaabwa |
Nagaya* |
Twerwanire |
Balinda |
Kigumba |
Kitengejja |
Lutwama |
Namagoye |
Wakibe |
Bbanjwa |
Kigwanye |
Kiwendo |
Mabikke |
Ndugga |
Wakiwuugulu |
Ddiba |
Kikoyo |
Luboobi |
Makubuya |
Nsobya |
Wassanyi |
Kangavve |
Kimeze |
Lugolugenyi |
Mugonza |
Ssebirumbi |
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Kaseggu (sabaweemuzi) |
Lukomwa |
Musaazi |
Ssekiima |
Girls' names (Nagaya at Buleza) |
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Nabuunya |
Naluboobi |
Nandugga |
Mbejjo |
Nalukoobyo |
Nsonyiwa |
Nakayombya |
Namusaazi |
Tebaddirwa |
From Ssempala at Bulamba (agava mu Ssempaa e Bulamba)
Boys' names |
Girls' names |
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Bbumba |
Lukiza |
Ssekabira |
Nabaggala |
Nakawungu |
Ganyegenya |
Lumu |
Ssekasi |
Nabumba |
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Kalumba |
Mayambala |
Ssekayombya |
Nakasi |
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Katuluntu |
Mujumbula |
Ssekimuli |
Nakigozi |
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Kibalizi |
Nakinyaga |
Ssematengo |
Nakimuli |
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Kigozi |
Nalukwakula |
Ssempala* |
Nalubwama |
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Kimuli |
Nasserenga |
Ssendyose |
Nalumansi |
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Kyakuleese |
Ngabo |
Nampala |
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Lubwama |
Semmambya |
Nannozi |
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Lukabya |
Ssebaggala |
Nnaabalamba |
From Magunda at Lwanga (agava mu Magunda e Lwanga)
Boys' names (Magunda at Lwanga) |
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Baali |
Kajoba |
Koojo |
Nsibambi |
Senkaba |
Bbembe |
Kalema |
Kyakusse |
Nseera |
Ssentumbwe |
Bbungo |
Kannamuwangi |
Lubabule |
Nvujjo |
Zigiti |
Bbuzimulu |
Kasiita |
Lukambuzi |
Nvule |
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Ffuuku |
Kateeteru |
Maduudu |
Sennoga |
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Fulu |
Katoloba |
Magambo |
Sengendo |
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Ggolola |
Kaweesa |
Magoba |
Ssambwe |
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Kafumbe |
Kigemuzi |
Magunda* |
Ssebigaaju |
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Kaggyo |
Kisenyi |
Mpanga |
Ssebwalunnyo |
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Kagombe |
Kisitu |
Nnyungwe |
Ssemattire |
Girls' names (Magunda at Lwanga) |
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Luzzi |
Nakindi |
Nanvule |
Nabakka |
Nakku |
Nawakkoonyi |
Nabwami |
Namammonde |
Nnaabaweesi |
Nakafumbe |
Nannendo |
Ntabadde |
Nakaweesa |
Nanteza |
Zaawedde |
Outstanding Members of the Clan
Several people of the Ffumbe clan have played significant roles in Buganda's long history and in most recent times even in the whole of Uganda. One must note that before Kintu I any clan leader who stood out among other clan leaders economically and military held the reigns of power. The Walusimbis held instrumental of office for several generations and their clan was pivotal in Buganda's expansion.
There are of course several people from different clans who fought in the Buganda's wars of expansion or nation building. Some people were just of exemplary character that somehow stood out against tyranny e.g. Kigemuzi. Others kept Buganda going in several different aspects, streaming it to well-defined characters that have been a pride to the Baganda and envy, reverence or veneration to others. These men earned Buganda fame as shown in Henry M. Stanley's letter to The Daily Telegraph dated 15/11/1875 quote "The bishops of Great Britain collected, with all the classic youths of Oxford and Cambridge, would effect nothing by mere talk with the intelligent people of Buganda. It is the practical..." What Stanley and his entourage saw was the work and sweat of the great leaders of Buganda over the centuries. The Ffumbe were some of these great leaders. Some of them are:
The list is long but for now we can stop here.
The Ffumbe clan and its relationship with other clans
The Ffumbe being one of the first clans had strong relationships with other clans. The relationships were of varying nature depending on the circumstance at the time. There are several schools of thought, which claim that some clans were at one time part of the Ffumbe. That they were breakaway groups who broke away to avoid persecution. Others say that the Royal clan and Mpologoma clan emanate from the Ffumbe clan (see Ebika byaffe- Ffumbe, Lugave Mpologoma and Abalagira by M.B. Nsimbi and see also Empisa za Baganda by Sir Apolo Kaggwa). In these two books there are instances where it is mentioned that these clans were once part of the Ffumbe clan. We hope that more research will be carried out in this area for the sake of historical clarity. Until in recent times it was not advisable for a Ffumbe to marry from the Njovu clan because they were fear that they were brothers and sisters. Several Njovu hid themselves in Ffumbe during persecutions and visa versa.
Compiled by Gombya Sennoga
Mutabani wa Sennoga Gombya David
Muzzukulu wa Gombya Andereya 1910-1984
Muzzukulu wa Wamala Weraga Zakayo 1877-1929
Muzzukulu wa Basenero Mika
Muzzukulu wa Kamakya Nsengakulima Ssengendo
Muzzukulu wa Gombya Ssenkaba
Nva mulunyiriri lwa Gombya Ssenkaba e Bululu.
Era ye w'Omutuba gwa Gombya Ssenkaba e Bululu
Mussiga lya Magunda e Lwanga
Mukasolya ka Walusimbi e Bakka
Nnyabo anzaala wa nnyonyi ya Nakinsige
Acknowlwdgement:
I would like to thank the following authors Mr E.J. Kisenyi (Omuganda ne Magunda 1993), Late Dr M.B. Nsimbi MBE (Ebika bya Byaffe Abalagira, Effumbe, Olugave, Empologoma 1990), E.N.K. Kisitu (Ennono n'ensikirano mu bika by'Abaganda) for much of the above information was translated from the those books. I would like to thank my grandfather Y. Lubwama of Nakifuma Bugerere, Prof. J.B. Walusimbi of Makerere University, Jjajja Edward Kalongo -Priest of Madiiro Shrine at Bakka (Omukongozi wa Madiiro e Bakka) for the invaluable information they have provided and all the Ffumbes and Lugaves for the advises you gave here and there.