Uganda - Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom

[Danish]

Hi all.

I will tell a bit about the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara in Uganda in this post, and in the following couple of posts I will tell about the orders of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Bunyoro Kitara has been in existence for many years, their recorded history goes back to about the 1400s..

In the 1890s the Kingdom was torn apart by British occupation, but in the 1900s the relationship improved.

In WW1 the Kingdom supported the British in their Africa-campaign.

The Kingdom was banned by dictators like Idi Amin, but in 1994 it was re-instituted as a part of the Ugandan Constitution.

Wikipedia about the Kingdom

In common for all the Orders below, are that the recipient must be 25 years of age, to enter the Order.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Danish

[Danish]

The Order of the Omujwaara Kondo (English: Order of the Coronet Wearer) is the oldest and highest royal order of the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom and is awarded solely by the King. It is a single-grade honor, separated into two classes - Class I and Class II. Class I is limited to other royal families of the world and heads of state, while Class II is open to all persons.

The Order was originally more a type of nobility, as people where awarded a crown, a title, land and an estate, much like know from Europe.

Recently the Order was changed, to an actual order, like known in Europe.

The Order has been acknowledged by the British Empire twice, in 1933 and 1955.

The order is still a VERY high grade and exclusive, and can be compared to, for example the Danish "Order of the Elephant"

Complete article

Edited December 20, 2010 by Danish

[Danish]

The Order of the Engabu (English: Order of the Shield) is a single-grade royal order, within the Kingdom of Bunyoro and is awarded solely by the King. The order was established in 2010.

The Order is awarded for "All that makes for the spiritual and moral strengthening of mankind and Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom in particular, and those who promote work for humanity and charity, for the relief of persons in sickness, distress, suffering or danger".

The Order is junior to the Omujwaara Kondo, but still remains a VERY exclusive order.

Complete article

[Danish]

The Order of Omukama Chwa II Kabalega (also known as The Most Honourable Order of Duty and Inflexibility of Omukama Chwa II Kabalega and Saint Thomas More) is the third highest royal order of merit of the Kingdom and is awarded solely by the King.

Awarded to persons who have shown dutiful, inflexible, goal-oriented and/or financial commitment to the Kingdom of Bunyoro-Kitara.

The Order consists of the following 7 grades:

Companion (CK)

Knight (KCK)

Officer (OCK)

Commander (CCK)

Grand Officer (GOCK)

Grand Cross (GCCK)

Grand Collar (GCCKC)

Officer:

Wikipedia article

[NPGilbert]

Very interesting. Thank you for posting.

Regards

Norman

[JDM]

Besides Bunyoro-Kitara, Buganda had The Order of the Shield & Spears of Buganda Kingdom

(Inst. 8th August, 1927) in 2 classes, Officer - (O.S.S.), & Member - (M.S.S.), on 26th May 1937 a Medal was added,

then on Independence in 1962, Commander - (C.S.S.), was added.

Toro also had an Order, The Order of the Crown, Lion & Shield of Toro Kingdom

(Inst. 1963) in 3 classes, Grand Cross, Commander & Member.

Ankole only had (as far as we know) The Distinguished Service Medal of Ankole Kingdom

(Inst. 9th October 1959) with a possable green ribbon (green was the colour of the State Flag)

Has anyone heard of the Ankole Medal ?

JDM

[James Hoard]

Alas, these Bunyoro modern constructions are all a result of and largely organised by the usual US gong-hunting mafia. You can see their handywork elsewhere with their inventions for the exiled King of Rwanda and others. Invariably, most of the appointments go to these same North American fancy-dress wearers, who also seem to bag most of the positions of officers of the orders. Many is the instance where these officers use their positions to sell membership to their unsuspecting fellow social-climbing compatriots, too foolish to know what to do with their money.

There never was an order of coronet wearers "acknowledged by the British Empire twice, in 1933 and 1955". What there was, was a rank of high chiefs or a chiefly class of counsellors to the ruler of Bunyoro-Kitara (Mukama). They were given a special coronet (Kondo) as a symbol of office and these offices could be made hereditary, if the Mukama so wished. They formed an order or class of society in the same way as the peerage or baronetage could be termed an order of society. Though the a better analogy would actually be "Privy Counsellors".

There were no medals, badges, stars, sashes, ribbons, collars or anything else even remotely resembling a decoration or order of chivalry or merit.

Comparing this American invention to the Danish Order of the Elephant wil make poor Queen Margrethe weep!

This is of course, quite different from the Order of the Shield and Spears of the neighbouring kingdom Buganda and the Order of the Crown, Lion and Shield of the kingdom of Toro.Both mentioned by JDM. These two orders were indeed legitimate orders of chivalry or merit.

Cheers,

James

[JDM]

Buganda Kingdom (Obwakabaka bwa Buganda) Aboilished 8 Sept. 1967, Restored 24th July 1993

Area, 44,979.30 Km2 (17,366,64 Sq. Miles) Census 4.5 Million

THE ORDER OF THE SHIELD & SPEARS OF BUGANDA KINGDOM Inst. (by statutes) 8th August 1927, amended 1931, 1937, 1962.

Sash & Ribbons, light-yellow/dark-blue/light-yellow/dark-blue/light-yellow/dark-blue/light-yellow

Commander, (C.S.S.) Inst. 1962, 102mm Sash, (24/4/6/34/6/4/24mm)

Officer (Omutongole) (O.S.S.) Inst. 1927, 50mm Neck Ribbon, (10/2.5/3.5/19/3.5/2.5/10mm)

Member (Omukungu) (M.S.S.) Inst. 1927, wears the Star only

Medal Inst. 26th May 1937 32mm Breast Ribbon (7/1/2/12/2/1/7mm)

Toro Kingdom (Obukama bwa Toro) Aboilished 8 Sept. 1967, Restored 27th July 1993

Area, 8,207 Km2 (3,168.92 Sq. Miles) Census 912,740

THE ORDER OF THE LION, CROWN & SHIELD OF TORO KINGDOM Inst. 1963

Colours of Sash & Ribbons, yellow/dark-blue/yellow

Grand Cross, 102mm Sash, (22/58/22mm)

Commander ca.51mm Neck Ribbon, (11/29/11mm)

Member 32mm Breast ribbon, (8/16/8mm)

Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom (Obukama bwa Bunyoro-Kitara) Aboilished 9 Sept. 1967, Restored 11th June 1994

Area, 19,536 Km2 (2,542.90 Sq. Miles) Census 1.2 Million

After the foundation of the "modern Orders" (to raise much needed money for the Omukama) oil was discovered

within their territory.

Ankole Kingdom (Obugabe bwa Ankole) (1901-9 Sept. 1967 aboilished)

Area, 16,367.1 Km2 (6,319.38 Sq. Miles) If Ankole were to be restored they would have a census of 2.3 Million.

JDM

[Danish]

Alas, these Bunyoro modern constructions are all a result of and largely organised by the usual US gong-hunting mafia. You can see their handywork elsewhere with their inventions for the exiled King of Rwanda and others. Invariably, most of the appointments go to these same North American fancy-dress wearers, who also seem to bag most of the positions of officers of the orders. Many is the instance where these officers use their positions to sell membership to their unsuspecting fellow social-climbing compatriots, too foolish to know what to do with their money.

There never was an order of coronet wearers "acknowledged by the British Empire twice, in 1933 and 1955". What there was, was a rank of high chiefs or a chiefly class of counsellors to the ruler of Bunyoro-Kitara (Mukama). They were given a special coronet (Kondo) as a symbol of office and these offices could be made hereditary, if the Mukama so wished. They formed an order or class of society in the same way as the peerage or baronetage could be termed an order of society. Though the a better analogy would actually be "Privy Counsellors".

There were no medals, badges, stars, sashes, ribbons, collars or anything else even remotely resembling a decoration or order of chivalry or merit.

Comparing this American invention to the Danish Order of the Elephant wil make poor Queen Margrethe weep!

This is of course, quite different from the Order of the Shield and Spears of the neighbouring kingdom Buganda and the Order of the Crown, Lion and Shield of the kingdom of Toro.Both mentioned by JDM. These two orders were indeed legitimate orders of chivalry or merit.

Cheers,

James

Your point about the order being an ancient form of baronage, is actually pointed out by HM the King in several places, including the complete statues of the order.

Also, the US firm that you are talking about, are no longer affiliated with the Kingdom, due to the points that you have also posted here.

[Megan]

Do you have a copy of the Statutes, Sune?

I'm slowly collecting ODM statutes & regulations from around the world... Some of them I can even read! (French, Russian - OK, Arabic - not a chance, yet!)

[Danish]

I'll send you an email, along with some pictures.. :-)

[JDM]

Megan, The relevent details were published in the OMRS Newsletter No. 66 on the 1st January 1957.

As it's rather long, I will send you an E-mail containing the Statutes.

JDM

[Danish]

JDM, the statutes have been changed in 2010....

[JDM]

Danish,

THE ORDER OF THE SHIELD AND SPEARS OF BUGANDA KINGDOM

Have you seen the new 2010 Statutes? What is the above in Luganda or Runganda (local language)?

Also are there still the following grades or classeds of

Commander, Officer, Member & Medal ?, or has a Grand Cross been added?

JDM

[Danish]

My mistake..

I thought we were still talking about the Bunyoro medals (as this topic is about the Bunyoro)...

[JDM]

Danish,

Also my mistake, I must get new glasses.

JDM

[Megan]

No matter - I'm interested in past & present of any country :)

[Megan]

John D, McMeekin sent me this & asked that I share it with you all:

Obwakabaka bwa Buganda

Statutes of

The Order of the Shield and Spears of Buganda Kingdom,

26^th October 1937

Proclamation:

Whereas it is expedient that an Order of Honour should be instituted and established in the Kingdom of Buganda to be conferred upon the Native Subjects of His Highness the Kabaka of Buganda for meritorious and distinguished services and loyalty rendered to his country and his person in their official or private capacities.

Now therefore I Sir Daudi Chwa, Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, with the advice of my Lukiko or Native Council of the Kingdom of Buganda do hereby proclaim and declare that an ORDER called “THE ORDER OF THE SHIELD AND SPEARS OF BUGANDA KINGDOM” is hereby established and instituted in my Kingdom of Buganda subject to the conditions hereinafter prescribed, that is to say:

(i) The Order shall be divided into two classes:- Class I; The members of this Class shall be styled “THE OFFICERS OF THE SHIELD AND SPEARS”, and shall not exceed 10 in number.

Class II; The members of this Class shall be styled “THE MEMBERS OF THE SHIELD AND SPEARS”, and shall not be more than 50 in number.

(ii) The Members of Class I of the ORDER shall be entitled to wear, on ceremonial occasions, the Cross and Star appropriate thereto; and The Members of Class II of the ORDER shall be entitled to wear, on ceremonial occasions, the Star appropriate thereto; as may be specified hereafter.

(iii) The Cross shall be of silver gilt and shall consist of an eight pointed Cross of Malta enameled white edged gold in front of a wreath of laurel enameled proper tied with a blue riband; in the centre of the cross a gold shield with a silver boss edged with red enamel surmounting two spears in saltire with hears and butts gold; below the shield a lion couchant gold. The whole suspended through a ring attached to a miniature shield and spears in saltire and worn pendant from the neck by a ribbon of a width of 2 inches and a length of not less than two feet six inches consisting of three stripes of equal width, yellow, blue and yellow, there being also a narrow stripe of blue on each of the yellow portions.

(iv) The Star shall be of silver of eight points with, in the centre, a gold shield with a silver boss edged with red enamel surmounting two spears in saltire with heads and butts gold and below the shield a lion couchant gold. The Star shall be worn on the right breast.

(Para (v) to (x) omitted from my original)

(xi) On the death of an Officer or Member of the ORDER his insignia shall immediately be returned to His Highness the Kabaka.

(xii) There shall also be a Medal of this ORDER which shall be awarded to Native subjects of His Highness the Kabaka who render meritorious service warranting such mark of His Highness’s appreciation. Such Medal shall not be awarded to Members of either of the two classes of the ORDER, but recipient of the Medal who may subsequently be appointed a member of either of the two Classes of the ORDER may continue to wear the Medal in addition to the Insignia of the ORDER.

(xiii) The Medal of THE ORDER OF THE SHIELD AND SPEARS OF BUGANDA KINGDOM shall consist of a circular medal in silver, having on the obverse a representation of a bust of His Highness the Kabaka encircled with the name, style and title of His Highness, and on the reverse a Buganda shield surmounting two Buganda spears in saltire and below the shield a lion couchant, and shall be worn on the right breast suspended by a ring to a riband of one inch and one quarter of an inch in width and consisting of three equal stripes of equal width, yellow, blue and yellow, there being also a narrow stripe of blue in each of the yellow portions.

The Proclamation of the 31^st January, 1931, is hereby revoked.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF THE KINGDOM OF BUGANDA AT MENGO this 26^th day of October 1937

(Signed) Sir Daudi Chwa II, K.C.M.G., K.B.E., Kabaka of Buganda

Source: O.M.R.S. Newsletter No. 66 (dated 1^st January 1957) by Lionel F. Guille (Secretary & Editor)

I have ammended this Proclamation by adding the “old English” letters here & there, and adding the name at the top. The 2½ inches = 51mm, the 1¼ inches = 32mm. John D. McMeekin