The traditional leader of what was once the kingdom of the Islands of Musisi, Bujwenge Bukulu Kasirye Isabasambasa, has written to Buganda Kingdom and President Yoweri Museveni demanding recognition and immediate coronation as a King.
The letter received by Buganda Kingdom on November 27 indicates that the Sese Kingdom was formed way back in 1400 AD and its last King was Bukuku Bwahahira. Bwahahira conquered Muhwahwa from King Isaza of Bachwezi Empire which county was being led by Bemba.
The county of Muwahwa later came to be known as ‘Obuganda’, the name which King Bukuku gave to the unification place of the mainland part to the islands.
After the conquest, Bukuku appointed a one Kintu as an administrator of the mainland and an atributary verbal agreement was made in which the administration of Obuganda acknowledged that it was subordinate to the Kingdom of the Islands.
Bujwenge claimed further that his father gave Kintu a ruling stick (Omulamula) to reflect Kintu’s subordinate position to King Bukulu.
“Therefore, Obuganda as later called became legally part of Island’s Kingdom after Bukulu’s conquest and upon coming into effect of the Tributary Agreement, Kintu paid his first tribute to Bukulu, appointed and declared at Bugambo a county Chief locally addressed as Ikabaka (Kabaka) to help him in the administration of Obuganda,” Bujwenge says in the letter.
Bujwenge adds that fate saw the Kingdom of Islands of Musisi hit by an “unprecedented, unexplained and highly questionable” outbreak of Tsetse flies which forced the Royal family led by Rubahita Mukahisa Ikabakire in 1895-1899 to relocate from the islands for survival.
“However, for reasons well known to her Majesty the Queeen of England, in the 1900 agreement, the Kingdom of the Islands were misrepresented under the name Sese and said to have made as county of Obuganda, yet it is the other way round which act led to countless challenges due to the change of the status-quo,” Bujwenge said.
Bujwenge notes that on October 10, 2018, the Royal family of the Islands converged at its Island home of Musisi aka Bukasa in the village of Bugambo where they reunited.
“In this meeting, it was agreed that the restoration of Musisi Kingdom be fast tracked as well as directing Buganda Kingdom to surrender the Ddamula ruling stick back to the Kingdom of the Islands in the event that there is no amicable settlement of Basisi’s claim through dialogue,” the letter further states.
“We demand that the time for restoring the mighty Musisi Kingdom has come and all you are expected to do is to render the exercise maximum cooperation through dialogue.”
Bujwenge demands that the Buganda Kingdom responds to the request within 14 days from the time of receipt of the letter failure of which will prompt a legal suit at the cost of Buganda Kingdom.
The Kingdom of the Islands of Musisi is where the language known as Rusisi and tribe of Basisi are derived.