| aganda are a group of Bantu speaking people in | | | | Katonda was however, not believed to be very |
| Uganda. They are the majority of Ugandan tribes as | | | | different from the other Balubaale. In fact he was |
| of today making 17% of Uganda’s population. | | | | believed to be one of the seventy –three |
| Traditionally they were the most civilized people in | | | | Balubaale in Buganda. |
| Uganda where Christianity came to Uganda in 1877. | | | | There were three temples for Katonda in Buganda |
| Although Islam had come earlier, fewer people had | | | | and all of them were situated in Kyaggwe under the |
| followed it compared to those who followed | | | | care of priests from the Njovu clan. |
| chriatianity. And for that matter when Christianity | | | | The other Balubaale had specific functions. The most |
| came many people went with it .And no matter the | | | | important among them were; katonda, Ggulu, god of |
| majority today are Christians. | | | | the skythe father of Kiwanuka, god of lightning. |
| But this does not mean that they left their traditional | | | | Then there was Kawumpuli, god of plague, |
| religion. Some Baganda people are still practicing their | | | | Ndaula, god of small pox, |
| traditional religion side by side with the current | | | | Musisi, god of earthquakes, |
| western religions. | | | | Wamala, god of Lake Wamala |
| In this article, I will give you the little I have gathered | | | | Mukasa, god of Lake Victoria. |
| about their traditional religion.The Baganda people | | | | Musoke was the god of the rainbow |
| believed in superhuman spirits in the form of mizimu, | | | | Kitaka was the god of the earth. |
| misambwa and balubaale.The Balubale were believed | | | | There were temples dedicated to the different |
| to have been men whose exceptional attributes in | | | | Balubaale through out Buganda. Each temple was |
| life were carried over into death.The mizimu were | | | | served by a medium and a priest who had powers |
| believed to be ghosts of dead people for it was | | | | over the temple and acted as a liaison between the |
| believed that only the body could die and rot but the | | | | Balubaale and the people.In particular clans, priesthood |
| soul would still exist as omuzimu (singular of mizimu). | | | | was hereditary, but a priest of the same god could |
| Such ghosts were believed to operate at the family | | | | be found in different clans. The priests occupied a |
| level to haunt whoever the dead person had grudges | | | | place of religious importance within society and they |
| with. If the mizimu entered natural objects, they | | | | usually availed themselves for consultation.The Kings |
| were believed to become misambwa.At another | | | | had special shrines of worship. |
| level, the mizimu could become tribal figures and also | | | | The Royal sister known as Nnaalinya took charge of |
| be known as Balulaale.The supreme being among the | | | | the king’s temple.There is a tradition among the |
| Baganda people was the creator Katonda. Katonda | | | | Baganda people that the Balubaale cult was |
| was, believed to have had neither children nor | | | | introduced by kabaka Nakibinge to strengthen his |
| parents. He was said to have created heavens and | | | | authority and that he combined both political and |
| the earth with all that they contain. | | | | religious functions for that matter. |