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The Political Organization of the Buganda

Answer Text:
The Political Organization of the Buganda
How Buganda kingdom was governed
-Buganda kingdom had a highly centralized monarchy under the kabaka who enjoyed absolute powers.
-His position was hereditary.
-The Kabaka’s Court was the nerve center of the Baganda community. All symbols of Royal authority
were kept in the court. E.g. the throne (Namulondo), royal Drums, spears and stools.
-The kabaka was the political leader of the Baganda kingdom. He was the Head of the traditional religion –lubale/ he was the chief priest. He was the judicial head and the final court of appeal/he was the
supreme judge. --He was the commander-in- -chief of the armed forces
-He controlled trade.
-The capital of the kingdom was at Mengo, where the palace, Lubiri, was situated.
-The kabaka appointed senior government officials and dismissed them when need arose. For example, he appointed the katikiro, omulamuzi and omuwanika
i.e. prime minister, chief justice and treasurer respectively who assisted him in administration. He also appointed mugema (the senior most chief among the Bataka), Musenero (the chief Butler) and Mfumbiro (the chief baker)
-The katikiro was in charge of organizing tax collecting and public works. He
planned wars in the Kabaka’s name.
-He had to protect the kabaka during war.
-Below him were omulamuzi (chief justice) and omuwanika (treasurer) who were directly responsible to the kabaka.
-The Bataka were minor chiefs in charge of clans, guarded land, collected taxes, carried out conscription to the army and presented the page boys to the kabaka. Peasants served under chief and were to fight in wars. Slaves (badus) served the king chiefs in their homesteads. Pages and bagalagala (sons of chiefs and other nobles) served the kabaka too.