MATRIARCHY AND THE STATE FORMATION OF BUGANDA FROM 1856 TO 2022
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Date
2025
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Gulu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
There is sufficient evidence in historical scholarship that public interest in primitive
matriarchies has been revived globally. Suddenly magazine articles, journal articles
and books appear attesting to a former rule by women, this is partly because no
matriarchies persist anywhere at the present time and because primary sources
recounting them were totally lacking. This study investigated the contribution of
matriarchy to state formation of Buganda Kingdom. It was guided by the following
specific objectives namely; to examine how Buganda kingdom was organized; to
assess the nature of Matriarchy in Buganda kingdom and examine the influential royal
women and the role they played in state formation of Buganda. The study used
qualitative methods and data was collected using interview guide. Data was analyzed
thematically according to similarity of responses in relation to study objectives. My
findings revealed that Buganda kingdom was a centralized polity organized politically,
economically, socially and culturally with the Kabaka as a cultural leader and head of
state. Buganda was organized into administrative units with the Kabaka at the centre
and the chiefs at the periphery. My study also found out that the nature of Matriarchy
was women rule at one time in history and there was matrilineality but most important
matriarchy in Buganda was considered from the contribution of women to state
formation and finally research question three, findings revealed that there were a
number of influential royal women who contributed in various capacities to state
formation while other women emerged as unique personalities and contributed to
Buganda. It was concluded that Buganda kingdom was a centralized polity with well organized
political, social economic and cultural structure and matriarchy contributed
immensely to state formation. It was recommended that Oral information should be
written and achieved in counties, sub-counties, parishes and villages to enable people
access information about Buganda.