Namulondo is the official name of the throne of the Kabaka of Buganda. The term also extends to the mobile versions of the throne—any chair upon which the Kabaka sits, for example during outdoor events. No one else is permitted to sit in this chair; doing so is considered taboo and treasonous.
Background
The name Namulondo for the Buganda royal throne originated during the reign of the young Kabaka Mulondo Ssekajja (1555–1564).
Before Kabaka Mulondo, the royal seat of power in Buganda was called Ssemagulu. Mulondo ascended the throne as a young boy, so small that when he sat in the Lukiiko (parliament), he could not be seen properly on the traditional low stool-like throne.
To resolve this, it was decided that the young Kabaka’s mother, Nabakyaala Namulondo, would attend meetings. The queen consort sat in front, carrying the Kabaka on her lap so that he faced his subjects. From this practice, the bataka (clan leaders) would say in Luganda: “Kabaka atudde ku Namulondo”—literally meaning “the Kabaka is sitting on Namulondo (his mother).” From then on, Namulondo became the name of the Kabaka’s throne.
Later, the Kabaka’s maternal uncles and regents crafted a special elevated chair for him, allowing him to sit above everyone else. This new chair was also called Namulondo, and the name has since been used for the hereditary royal throne of Buganda.
Namulondo as a Title of the Kabaka
Namulondo is not only the name of the throne but also one of the Kabaka’s titles. He is the throne, and the throne is him—inseparable symbols of kingship and authority.
