Coronation Day
July 31, 1993
The lack of a written history makes it difficult to establish the duration of each king's reign with accuracy. Firm dates are only known since the time of Mutesa I (30th king). The dates shown for previous kings are estimated from details of the oral history. Most of the dates estimated for kings before Mwanga I (23rd king) are so speculative, a decision was made not to quote them here. The following list gives the duration of each king's reign - within the above constraints - as well as the respective king's Prime Minister(s) ((ba)Katikkiro).
| King | Reigned | Prime Minister(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kato Kintu | Kakulukuku, Kisolo | |
| 2 | Ccwa I | Walusimbi, Ssebwana | |
| 3 | Kimera | Walusimbi, Bakitunda | |
| 4 | Ttembo | Kiridde | |
| 5 | Kiggala | Kasongovu | |
| 6 | Kiyimba | Ntege | |
| 7 | Kayima | Ssendikaddiwa, Walugali | |
| 8 | Nakibinge | Kagali, Kalumba | |
| 9 | Mulondo | Ssekajja | |
| 10 | Jjemba | Busungwe | |
| 11 | Ssuuna I | Kisolo | |
| 12 | Ssekamaanya | Kisolo | |
| 13 | Kimbugwe | Kamegere | |
| 14 | Kateregga | Kamegere | |
| 15 | Mutebi I | Musezi | |
| 16 | Jjuuko | around 1680* | Mulwana, Wannanda |
| 17 | Kayemba | Kisiki, Lugwanye | |
| 18 | Tebandeke | Mujambula | |
| 19 | Ndawula | Nsobya | |
| 20 | Kagulu | Ntambi | |
| 21 | Kikulwe | Mawuuba, Nakiyenje, Nakikofu | |
| 22 | Mawanda | Ssebanakitta | |
| 23 | Mwanga I | 1740 - 1741 | Ssebanakitta |
| 24 | Namugala | 1741 - 1750 | Kagali |
| 25 | Kyabaggu | 1750 - 1780 | Kabinuli, Lugoloobi |
| 26 | Jjunju | 1780 - 1797 | Ssendegeya, Mayembe, Kagenda |
| 27 | Ssemakookiro | 1797 - 1814 | Nabbunga, Ssekayiba, Nabembezi, Kadduwamala |
| 28 | Kamaanya | 1814 - 1832 | Kadduwamala, Katimpa, Kafumbirwango, Kimoga, Ssebuko |
| 29 | Ssuuna II | 1832 - 1856 | Migeekyamye, Kayiira |
| 30 | Muteesa I | 1856 - 1884 | Kayiira, Kisomose, Mayanja, Mulere, Mukasa |
| 31 | Mwanga II | 1884 - 1888 &1889 - 1897 | Mukasa, Kaggwa, Mugwanya |
| 32 | Kiweewa | 1888 - 1888 | Nnyonyintono |
| 33 | Kalema | 1888 - 1889 | Muguluma |
| 34 | Ccwa II | 1897 - 1939 | Kaggwa, Kisosonkole, Nsibirwa |
| 35 | Muteesa II** | 1939 - 1966 | Nsibirwa, Wamala, Kavuma, Kintu, Nkanji |
| 36 | Mutebi II | 1993 - | Nkanji, Ssemwogerere |
The number of kings and their chronological sequence shown above is known with a fair degree of certainty. Historians have used this information, the expected duration of a typical kings's reign, the life expectancy, and the generational overlap that occured when siblings assumed the throne to estimate that the kingdom must have been established in the early to mid-14th century AD.
* Buganda tradition speaks of a great battle in the sky between the moon and the sun during Jjuuko's reign. They both fell out of the sky leading to complete darkness all over the kingdom. They had to be fixed back in their positions by the god Wanga. Historians have correlated this story with the solar eclipse that ocurred in 1680 which affected Buganda, and thus concluded that Jjuuko must have been king around that time.
** The institution of kingship was interrupted in 1966, when Mutesa II was deposed by the Uganda Army on the orders of A.M. Obote, who had unilaterally assumed the presidency of Uganda. Mutesa escaped into exile in Britain, where he died in 1969. The kingship was restored in 1993 by the Uganda government headed by Y.K. Museveni, with Mutebi II being coronated king on July 31.