Bigo Bya Mugyenyi, a site believed to have been the capital of the Chwezi Dynasty, is found in Kabeho village, Ntuusi Sub-county, in Sembabule District.
It is at Bigo Bya Mugyenyi that the history of the nomadic Bachwezi people of the 14th century can be traced. Who were the Bachwezi, their lifestyle, and if it is true they still exist are all questions that can be answered at this historical cultural site.
According to the guides at Bigo Bya Mugyenyi, one can still see the Bachwezi if they pray for it. It is believed that the Chwezi still appear and disappear mysteriously at this site.
The Chwezi are believed to have landed on the Nile around 2000 BC and are said to have found the ancient Kitara Empire, which consists of areas of present-day Central Uganda, Western Uganda, Southern Uganda, Northern Tanzania, Western Kenya, and Eastern Congo.
The Chwezi are also credited with the introduction of the unique, long-horned Ankole cattle, coffee growing, and the first organised and centralised way of governance in Uganda.
It is believed that after conquering these regions, the Bachwezi, with Ndahura as their king, set up their headquarters at Nakayima, present-day Mubende District.
The Chwezi Dynasty was short-lived with a history of three kings, Ndahura, Mulindwa, and Wamala, who were accorded the status of demi-gods and worshipped by many people.
Legend has it that when you visit Bigo Bya Mugyenyi while drunk or have done anything that disgusts the Bachwezi, you disappear, never to be seen again.
Before entering Bigo Bya Mugyenyi, it is a must to first make fire and ask permission from the Bachwezi before entering the main big house or shrine, which is believed to be the home of the Bachwezi.
In the main house or shrine, you find all sorts of regalia and artefacts ranging from pots, spears, stools, and many others that offer some guidance to this ancient society’s existence.
It is believed that the Bachwezi were vegetarians; they didn’t eat anything that contained blood. Anyone going to Bigo Bya Mugyenyi has to go with seeds, put them in a small basket, and ask for blessings from these ancestral beings.
It is not clear what happened to the Bachwezi, and many stories talk about their disappearance and point at many factors, be it the decline in their influence, internal conflicts, or divine retribution. Legend has it that they just disappeared, never to be seen again.
There is no human settlement at Bigo Bya Mugyenyi after those who had encroached on the site’s land were evicted by police after a directive by President Kaguta Museveni to preserve this historical site.
Take time off your busy schedule and visit Bigo Bya Mugyenyi to learn about the origin, history, and final disappearance of these mystical beings, who are very important in African culture and whom many people still worship and believe are still alive today.
