The Banyoro live in Western Uganda to the East of Lake Albert. They inhabit the present districts of Hoima, Masindi and Kibale. They speak a Bantu language and their origin, like any other Bantu group can be traced in the Congo basin region

The Banyoro belong to Bantu speakers of the interlacustrine region. The kingdom was first ruled by the Abatembuzi who were replaced by the Bachwezi. From 15^th century it was ruled by the Luo Babito dynasty.

Bunyoro was a remnant of the disintegrating Bunyoro Kitara empire. It was initially small in size but later Bunyoro kingdom exercised much influence over her neighbours. The empire of Bunyoro Kitara had declined steadily from 1650.

Social organisation.

A homestead and family was the basic social unit.

They had three ethnic classes that is rulers were the Babito, cattle keepers were Bahima and peasants were the Bairu.

The agricultural Bairu were despised by the pastoral Bahima. In the eyes of cow owners, any one who eats vegetable food cultivated land and worked in anything not to do with cows was regarded as low and did not matter.

Marriage was mainly polygamous. Many wives and cattle as a symbol of prestige.

Believed in various deities. The greatest was Ruhanga-the creator and lord of the earth. The kingdom had royal drums, crowns, sandals, shields and burial shrines representing their culture.

Believed in life after death, consulted departed ancestors and sacrifices offered.

Political organisation.

Had a centralised political system that is all political authority was derived from the King who was called the Omukama.

The Omukama was the most important person. He was the controller of all land and everything on it including cattle and people.

He was the supreme judge of the land had powers of life and death over his subjects.

The kingdom was divided into district each under a chief. Districts were further sub divided.

Important chiefs formed the inner council that dvised the Omukama.

The chiefs were responsible to the Omukama.

In times of war, they organised armed men to form a armed power and during times of peace, they organised gifts in form of ivory, salt, beer and tributes to the Omukama.

Like kingship, chieftaincy was hereditary that is princes usually fought for the throne.

Economic Organisation.

Land was owned on clan basis that is each member of the clan had right to own land. Cattle rearing was the main occupation. Cattle provided milk, meat ghee, cheese and hides.

There was also an agricultural community-the Bairu who grew cereals, pumpkins, banana, yams, coffee and the legumes.

Saline lakes made salt making a very important industry. Provided large quantities of salt and sold surplus salt to neighbouring Lango and Buganda.

Metal works-iron workers smelted their own iron in the hills that is smiths made spears, knives, hoes, bells and bracelets.

Hunting in forests and fishing from the numerous rivers and lakes supplemented diet with extra proteins.

They raided neighbouring Buganda, Ankole, and Karagwe for cattle, slaves and foodstuffs.

In terms of trade the Banyoro sold surplus industrial products to neighbouring communities. Exported iron products, salt and dry fish to Lango and Buganda.

Cattle was the most usually accepted form of currency.

King Kamurasi in the development of Bunyoro

Omukama Kamurasi came to the throne in an alliance with the Langi Nilotic neighbours of Bunyoro.

Among his contributions was his effort in opening the way to revival of Bunyoro's military power over its neighbours.

He organised an army and equipped it with fire arms and ammunition from Arabs, Swahili and Khatoumers.

He actively involved Bunyoro in long distance trade from which she gained a lot.

During his reign there was an influx of Arabs, Swahili from the South and the Khatoumers from the North. Bunyoro became a centre of trade in the interlacustrine region. She was a chief exporter of iron goods. Such as hoes and spearheads. He also exported salt from Kibero  and monopolised that trade.

However, his reign lacked peace and stability due to conflicts among the princes and the family members.

 Kabalega's achievements for Bunyoro Kingdom.

Kabalega was born in 1850 to Omukama Kamurasi who ruled Bunyoro until he died in 1870. Bunyoro was a large kingdom, which included parts of Congo and Tanzania, Toro, North West of Ankole and much of Buganda and Busoga.

Between 1852‑1869, Kabalega spent his early life at Bulega in Zaire where his mother came from. His people nicknamed him Kana Ka Bulega from which came his name Kabalega

Kabalega won because having been trained as a soldier, he was popular.

As a prince, he had mixed freely with people hence he enjoyed mass support among the Bairu or peasants.  He also hired the services of Khartoum Arab traders and Langi merchants to fight for him.

In 1870, Kabalega beat the rival faction and in 1871, he was the undisputed ruler of Bunyoro. He there fore proclaimed himself Omukama Chwa II after his legendary great grandfather Omukama Chwa and Rumomamahanga.

He gave Bunyoro a large and well equipped national standing army called "Abarusuura" with himself as commander in chief.  The army had ten battalion, each comprising of about 1000-2000 men.  He also had a personal royal guard. 

He secured guns and ammunition from coastal Arab - Swahili traders and the Khartoumers.  This army was used to keep internal law and order, security and expansion of the kingdom.

He brought an end to civil wars by defeating all forms of internal opposition especially from the royal members. Most rebellious leaders were either forced into exile particularly southern Lango or were killed.  Thus there was peace and stability in the region.

He gave Bunyoro an effective centralised administration.  He asserted full control over all the vassal states.  This was achieved thus creation of province and in turn he appointed his army commanders to govern them.

He gave Bunyoro a strong sense of national unity.  He created a broad-based social class.  He promoted and appointed both the Bairu and royal Babiito princes to high ranks.  He also encouraged intermarriage between the Abairu, Bahima and Babiito in an effort to promote national unity.  He later used this unity to resist the British invasion for along time.

He expanded Bunyoro territories during his reign for example he conquered Toro and subsequently occupied Bulege, Busongora, Bakonjo, Bwamba, Mboga, Bubira and southern Lango. It was after the coming of the British that this great influence was gradually reduced.

He gave Bunyoro a strong sense of nationalism for example the collective spirit of fighting the independence of the kingdom.  He depended on this awareness to resist the British imperialism for almost four years although he was later defeated.  Even under the British protectorate, the Banyoro rebelled against the imposition of Baganda agents in 1907.

He created strong commercial contact between Bunyoro kingdom and Khartoum and also with the East African coastal towns.  Bunyoro exported mainly ivory in exchange of which the kingdom imported guns and ammunition which helped to strengthen Bunyoro's military machinery.  In addition, other items like cloth and glassware were obtained.

He encouraged double food production as a measure against famine.  He forced all chiefs to double food production particularly millet, the staple food.  He also built underground granaries away from enemy eyes to protect the kingdom from possible occurrence of famine.

In 1890, Omukama Kabalega was at the peak of his influence.  From 1891, Kabalega was at war with the British.

He engaged the British and their allies in serious guerrilla welfare until he was defeated captured in southern Lango together with Mwanga and exiled to Seychelles Island.

He later tried to return home but died on his way at Jinja. 

His name goes down in the books of history as a great African nationalist who defended his people, united the Banyoro, as a great soldier, an empire builder and a true nationalist who fought the British to defend the independence of his kingdom.