Simei kakungulu biography books

Ugandan chief

Semei Kakungulu
Semei Kakungulu
Born	Uganda
Died	(aged&#;58&#;59) Uganda
Nationality	Ugandan
Known&#;for	Founder of Abayudaya Judaism

Semei Kakungulu ( – 24 November ) was a Ugandan statesman who founded the Abayudaya (Luganda: Jews)^[1] community in Uganda in He studied and meditated on the Tanakh, adopted the observance of all Moses' commandments, including circumcision, and suggested this observance for all his followers.

The Abayudaya have converted to Judaism, mostly through the Reform and Conservative movements, while some own undergone Orthodox conversion. The Abayudaya do not claim ancient Israelite ancestry.^[2]

He was also chosen to be the president of the Lukiiko of Busoga by the British colonists, and in influence, he became Busoga’s first 'King', although the British refused to give him that title.

However, conflicts amongst the different chiefs and clans continued, and most Basoga still retained affiliation to their chief, clan or dialect. The Lukiiko structure collapsed, and Kakungulu was dismissed by the British.^[3][4][5]

Early life

Kakungulu was a warrior and statesman of the forceful Baganda Kingdom.

During the s he was converted to Christianity by a Protestant missionary who taught him how to study the Bible in Swahili.

This is a history of the early days of Uganda. The account has an African highlight because it shows the British takeover through the experiences of an extraordinary leader. Kakungulu's remarkable story - the freebooting warrior, ill at ease in his adopted home, who assembled a large number of ambitious warrior followers, and then established with them his own dominion in areas where overlordship had not prevailed before, only to be stripped in slow motion of the prominence he had attained This is awesome scholarship.

Because he commanded many warriors, because of his connections to the Bugandan court and because he was a Protestant, the British sought Kakungulu's support in imposing their imperial rule in eastern Uganda. He responded by conquering and bringing under the British sphere of influence two areas outside of the Bugandan Empire, Bukedi and Busoga.

These areas were between the Nile River's source in Lake Victoria and Mt. Elgon on the Kenyan border.^[6]

Kakungulu believed that the British would allow him to develop the king of Bukedi and Busoga, but the British preferred to rule these areas through civil servants in their spend and under their control.

The British limited Kakungulu to a square-mile (52&#;km²) area in and around what has now develop Mbale, Uganda. The people who inhabited this area were of the Bagisu tribe rivals to Baganda. Nevertheless, Kakungulu, with the help of his Baganda followers, although much reduced in numbers, was able to maintain command so long as he received British support.^[7]

Beginning in about , a slow but continuous common disenchantment arose between Kakungulu and the British.

In , Kakungulu became a Malakite Christian. This was a movement described by the British as a "cult" which was "a mixture of Judaism, Christianity and Christian Science." Many who joined the religion of Malaki where Kakungulu was in control were Baganda.^[8]

While still a Malakite, Kakungulu came to the conclusion that the Christian missionaries were not reading the Bible correctly.

He pointed out that the Europeans disregarded the real Sabbath, which was Saturday, not Sunday. As proof, he cited the fact that Jesus was buried on Friday before the Sabbath, and that his mother and his disciples did not visit the tomb on the following day because it was the Sabbath, but waited until Sunday.^[9][10]

Judaism

Under pressure from the British, who wished to limit his holdings, in , Kakungulu moved his principal residence a short distance further from Mbale into the western foothills of Mt.

Elgon to a place called Gangama. It was there that he started a separatist sect initially known as Kibiina Kya Bayudaya Absesiga Katonda (the Community of Jews who confidence in the omnipotent God). Recruitment into this Bayudaya community came almost exclusively from what remained of Kakungulu's Baganda following.^[11]

The Bible, as a result of the teachings of the missionaries, was held in high regard among the Christians of Uganda.

The missionaries had stressed the authenticity of the Bible by declaring that it came not from the Europeans but from an alien race, the Jews. The purpose of the missionaries was to impress upon the Africans that the Europeans too had found truth from a foreign race.

But because of this emphasis, the customs and manners of the Jews became of great interest to Kakungulu's followers.^[12]

In , at Gangama, Kakungulu published a page book of rules and prayers as a instruction for his Jewish community.

The book set forth Jewish laws and practices as Kakungulu create them in the Old Testament, although it contained many verses and sections from the Modern Testament as well. Despite this interest in Jewish practices, there does not appear to own been any direct contact between Kakungulu and Jews before ^[13]

Beginning in about , several European Jews who were employed as mechanics and engineers by the British chanced upon the Christian-Jewish community near Mbale.

Jews such as these, during what manifest to have been chance encounters, told Kakungulu about Orthodox Judaism.

"At this spot in the year the British flag was first hoisted by Semei Kakanguru, emissary and loyal servant of His Majesty the King. He built here a boma which was for a short moment the.

As a result, many remaining Christian customs were dropped, including baptism. From these encounters, the community learned to retain Shabbat, to recite Hebrew prayers and blessings, to slaughter animals for meat in a Kosher manner, and also to converse some Hebrew.^[14][15]

Death

Kakungulu died on 24 November of tetanus.^[1] After his death, the Abayudaya community divided into those wishing to retain a toehold within Christianity and those wanting to break those ties completely.

The Bayudaya "remained a mixture of both Christianity and Judaism, with faith in Christ remaining prominent in Kakungulu's beliefs."^[16][17]

Kakungulu is buried a limited distance from the main Abayudaya synagogue behind the unpretentious abode in which he lived during the last years of his life.

The grave has a stone which reads:^[18][19]

“SEMEI WAKIRENZI KAKUNGULU
A Victorious General and
Sava Chief in Buganda
Administrator of Eastern Province –
President of Busoga –
Died 24th 11 ”

See also

References

External links