Bakenyi tribe are a Bantu speaking ethnic group of people in Uganda. They are believed to have migrated from Buganda central region eastwards to settle in the eastern parts of Uganda around Lake Kyoga basin in the Buyende district. [1] The Bakenyi tribe speak the language called "Lukenyi". [2] [3] [4]
The population of the Bakenyi tribe with reference to the 2002 census conducted by Uganda National Bureau of Statistics showed the Bakenyi people were 62,009 despite recent statistics indicate 99,880 people contrary to Bakenyi rights groups research data findings that indicate 1.2 million people in the Bakenyi community. [5]
Bakenyi tribe migrated during the 18th century and changed changed into a new and distinct tribe after they migrated out of Buganda in the 18th century following the civil war between princes Junju and Semakokiro. They settled around Lake Kyoga basin in the areas of Teso, Lango and Bukedi. The cultural leadership petitioned Uganda National Bureau of Statistics for misrepresenting their number in the census data which stands at over 1.2 million people that deprives them of the national budget from the Ugandan government. [5]
Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, it lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied equatorial climate. As of 2024, it had a population of around 49 million, of which 8.5 million live in the capital and largest city, Kampala.
The Adhola people, also known as Jopadhola, are a Nilotic ethnic group of Luo peoples that live in Tororo District of Eastern Uganda and comprise about eight percent of the country's total population. They speak Dhopadhola,, which belongs to the Western Nilotic branch of the Nilotic language family. They are primarily pastoralists. The Jopadhola call their land Padhola which, according to historian Bethwell Ogot, is an elliptic form of "Pa Adhola" meaning the "place of Adhola", the founding father of the Jopadhola people. Officially, land of the Adhola is called Padhola, but the Baganda who misinterpret 'Widoma' – a Dhopadhola word for 'war cry' meaning 'You are in trouble' refer to the Jopadhola as "Badama". The social structure of the Jopadhola can be described as semi centralised because there is no traditional centralized government and its organization is limited to a clan called Nono. There are over 52 clans, each with cultural practices, common ancestry and a distinct lineage.
Buganda is a Bantu kingdom within Uganda. The kingdom of the Baganda people, Buganda is the largest of the traditional kingdoms in present-day East Africa, consisting of Uganda's Central Region, including the Ugandan capital Kampala. The 14 million Baganda make up the largest Ugandan region, representing approximately 16% of Uganda's population.
The African Great Lakes are a series of lakes constituting the part of the Rift Valley lakes in and around the East African Rift. The series includes Lake Victoria, the second-largest freshwater lake in the world by area; Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-largest freshwater lake by volume and depth; Lake Malawi, the world's eighth-largest freshwater lake by area; and Lake Turkana, the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. Collectively, they contain 31,000 km3 (7,400 cu mi) of water, which is more than either Lake Baikal or the North American Great Lakes. This total constitutes about 25% of the planet's unfrozen surface fresh water. The large rift lakes of Africa are the ancient home of great biodiversity, and 10% of the world's fish species live in this region.
Bunyoro, also called Bunyoro-Kitara, is a traditional Bantu kingdom in Western Uganda. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Central and East Africa from the 13th century to the 19th century. It is ruled by the King (Omukama) of Bunyoro-Kitara. The current ruler is Solomon Iguru I, the 27th Omukama.
Culture of Uganda is made up of a diverse range of ethnic groups. Lake Kyoga forms the northern boundary for the Bantu-speaking people, who dominate much of East, Central, and Southern Africa. In Uganda, they include the Baganda and several other tribes
Mukono is one of the districts in the Central Region of Uganda. The town of Mukono serves as the district headquarters and is home to the district's main commercial center.
The Kumam people are part of a Hamites ethnic group of about 720,000 census 2024 ,living mainly Kumam Sub-Region of Kaberamaido, Soroti, Soroti City, Kalaki, parts of Serere, Dokolo and Amolatar respectively in the western areas of Teso sub-region and the south-east of Lango sub-region. The Kumam are an ethnic group of people found in Kaberamaido district, Soroti District|Soroti District, Soroti City| Kalaki District| Kalaki District, Dokolo District| Amolatar District, Lake Kyoga Basin Area, district in Eastern Uganda. They share Soroti district with the Iteso and some parts of formerly Lira district with the Langi. In the Lango region, they are now found in Dokolo district which was detached from Lira District. They are found at the shores of Lake Kyoga (Namasale). In Soroti district, they are found in Serere, Asuret, Kamuda, katine, Soroti city, Arapai as well as the outskirts of Soroti district neighboring Kaberamaido..
The Karamojong or Karimojong are a Nilotic ethnic group. They are agro-pastoral herders living mainly in the north-east of Uganda. Their language is also known as ngaKarimojong and is part of the Nilotic language family. Their population is estimated at 475,000 people.
The Gisu people, or Bamasaba people of Elgon, are a Bantu tribe and Bantu-speaking ethnic group of the Masaba people in eastern Uganda, closely related to the Bukusu people of Kenya. Bamasaba live mainly in the Mbale District of Uganda on the slopes of Mount Elgon. The Bagisu are estimated to be about 1,646,904 people making up 4.9% of the total population according to the 2014 National Census of Uganda.
The Gwere people, also called Bagwere, are a Bantu ethnic group in Uganda. They are among the 65 ethnic societies of Uganda. Gwere is the root word, and the people are referred to as Bagwere (endonym) or Mugwere (singular). According to the 2002 Census of Uganda, 23.6% of Bagwere are Roman Catholic, 46.8% are Anglican, 23.9% are Muslim and 3.1% are Pentecostal.
The Baganda also called Waganda, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally composed of 52 clans, the Baganda are the largest people of the Bantu ethnic group in Uganda, comprising 16.5 percent of the population at the time of the 2014 census.
The Nkole people also known as the Banyankole, are a Bantu ethnic group native to the Ankole region of Uganda. They are primarily found in the southwestern part of the country, in what was historically known as the Ankole Kingdom. The Banyankole are known for their rich cultural heritage and traditional cattle-keeping practices. They are closely related to other Bantu peoples of the region, namely the Nyoro, Kiga, Toro and Hema people.
The Soga are a Bantu ethnic group native to the kingdom of Busoga in eastern Uganda.The Basoga live in Uganda's districts of Bugiri, Iganga, Jinja, Kamuli, and Mayuge tho new districts were formed later like Luuka, Kaliro, Namayingo, Bugweri, Namutunba and Buyende. Situated in eastern Uganda immediately north of the equator, Busoga is bounded by Lake Kyoga to the north, the Victoria Nile to the west, the Mpologoma River to the east, and Lake Victoria to the south. Busoga is 3,443 square miles in area, with a length of about 100 miles and a width of a little over 50 miles. These natural boundaries have enabled Basoga to have a uniqueness of their own as a group.
Buruuli (place) is a general term used to refer to the area where the Baruuli live. It is located in the district of Nakasongola, as well as in Bugerere Kayunga District. The Baruuli speak the Ruruuli language, a Bantu language closely related to Lunyala, a language spoken by the Banyala of Kayunga District. The Baruuli are ruled and governed by Ssabaluuli Mwogezi, who was crowned as their Kabaka by the president of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
The Tooro people, also known as Batooro or Toro people are a Bantu ethnic group, native to the Tooro Kingdom, a subnational constitutional monarchy within Uganda.
The Baruuli or Baluuli, are a Bantu ethnic group native to Bunyoro-Kitara, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. They stay in an area called Buruuli. They share a common ancestry with the Banyala.
The Banyole or Banyuli are a Bantu ethnic group of Uganda that live mainly in Butaleja District.
The Nyangia community are a tribe in North-eastern Uganda. They live on the slopes of Nyangea Mountains, west of Kidepo Valley National Park, along the Ugandan border with South Sudan. The Nyangia are also called Nyang'i, Nyangea or Nyangiya and historically they are part of the Nilotic ethnic group largely found in Karenga Districtt in Karamoja.
Ethur tribe is one of Uganda's minority communities living in Abim District, located in northeastern Uganda. The Ethur people are herdsmen and practice goat rearing, cattle keeping and agriculture for their livelihood. They are subsistence farmers who sell or exchange products with neighboring tribes. Additionally, the Ethur people are potters and blacksmiths who make various products for sale to neighbouring tribes.