Uganda: Today in History - Kyabazinga William Gabula IV Is Born

On November 1, 1988, William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV, the fourth Kyabazinga of Busoga, was born in Jinja.

Born into the royal lineage of the Bugabula chiefdom, Gabula is the son of Wilson Gabula Nadiope III, a former Ugandan Cabinet Minister, and Josephine Nadiope. He lost both parents during childhood and was raised largely by his maternal grandmother in Jinja.

His royal heritage traces back to William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Nadiope II, his grandfather, who served as Kyabazinga of Busoga and Uganda's first Vice President from 1962 to 1966. His great-grandfather, Yosia Nadiope, also played a role in advancing education in the region through the donation of land for royal schooling, which later became Busoga College Mwiri.

Gabula pursued formal education before entering public service, graduating from Kyambogo University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. He subsequently worked as an economist in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development before obtaining a First-Class Master of Business Administration in Management from Coventry University in the United Kingdom in 2015.

His path to the Busoga throne followed the death of Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki in 2008, which left the kingdom without a monarch amid prolonged succession disputes.

The Royal Chiefs Council elected Gabula as Kyabazinga on August 23, 2014, with the Busoga Lukiiko approving his election on September 25 that year. He was formally crowned at Bugembe Royal Palace in Jinja on September 13, 2014, in a ceremony attended by President Yoweri Museveni, traditional leaders and thousands of Basoga.

As Kyabazinga, Gabula has championed education, youth empowerment, cultural preservation and economic development across Busoga. His leadership has focused on strengthening unity among the kingdom's chiefdoms, promoting skills development and advancing initiatives aimed at reducing poverty.

His reign has also been marked by significant cultural milestones, including his marriage to Inhebantu Jovia Mutesi on November 18, 2023, at Christ Cathedral Bugembe. The wedding was the kingdom's first royal marriage in 67 years, following the 1956 wedding of his predecessor, Henry Wako Muloki.

Read the original article on Nile Post.