Heirs at all Costs – The Story of Omukama Nyamuhanga and Nyabagabe

Nyamuhanga was the 7th Omukama of Empire of Kitara, having ruled somewhere in the early 11th Century, his father was Omukama Kabengera Kazooba Ihangi, of the Batembuzi dynasty coming from the Bagabu clan.

Nyamuhanga ruled for a long time but his attempts to get a heir to the throne where futile as non of his wives would produce a male child to take over the throne once gone, since the foundation of the Empire of kitara, the customs were only a son would succeed his father.

Nyamuhanga consulted a diviner about his demise, the diviner advised him to marry a girl called Nyabagabe a daughter to one his servants called Igoro.

Lucky enough Nyabagabe was able to bore a child, the child was named Nkya[meaning “Lucky”] because it was considered a luck for the king to have a child.

People were delighted at Nyabagabe’s good luck. They were glad that the daughter of a mere servant had married a king.

Even today when something lucky happened to someone, people would comment: “That one must have been born at about the time Nyabagabe was in labor.” Omukama(king) Nyamuhanga is still remembered today by many people.