The previous installment of this serialized narrative concluded with the demise of Yuhi II Gahima and the revelation of impending challenges to royal succession. Following the death of Yuhi II Gahima II, a formidable opposition emerged against his intended successor, Ndahiro II Cyamatare. This opposition was led by Princes Juru, Bamara, Bwimba, and Mutezi, who were united against Ndahiro II's rule. On the other hand, Princes Binama, Gacu, and Kangana remained loyal to Ndahiro II Cyamatare. Ndahiro II struggled to assert his authority over the entire territory of Rwanda. Provinces located to the east of the River Nyabarongo fell under the influence of Juru, while Ndahiro II Cyamatare retained control over the region's west of the same river. ALSO READ: Rwandan History, Part 2: Monarchy and Political Manipulation The eastern region was home to prominent supporters of Ndahiro II Cyamatare, including Minyaruko, the renowned rainmaker who commanded Busigi, and Mugobe, the son of Ngwije from the Abakobwa family. Mugobe held the guardianship of esoteric knowledge and both individuals regarded Juru as a usurper of power. When Juru attempted to establish his residence at Gitambi (formerly Mugambazi commune, now Rulindo district), Ndahiro II Cyamatare organized a clandestine expedition to disrupt Juru's inauguration. The mission was executed covertly, with the operatives blending in with the crowd during the festivities. Tragically, Juru lost his life in the attack, and the expedition members regrouped, awaiting further developments. With Juru's demise, genealogical poems on the Banyiginya dynasty indicated that one of his sons would succeed him. Thus, Muyogoma, Cyankuba, and Kinanira came to the forefront. However, a coup d'état unfolded as the opposition installed Bamara, the son of Yuhi II, as the ruler of the eastern region's beyond the Nyabarongo River. Ndahiro II Cyamatare was unable to dislodge him from power. The story took another turn with the Nsibura Nyebunga attack and the subsequent death of Ndahiro II Cyamatare. While Rwanda grappled with internal divisions, a formidable threat emerged from the west. In the previous article, we learned how Nsibura, the son of Murira-Muhoyo, who was born in Bugesera, returned secretly to Bunyabungo to claim the throne. Nsibura harbored a deep-seated desire for vengeance. His father had been killed by Bugesera warriors, with the reigning king in Rwanda, Mibambwe I, being perceived as the primary instigator of the expedition to avenge his mother. Nsibura, in turn, sought retribution for his father's death. Despite Rwanda's division, he considered the true monarch to be the one in possession of Rwoga, the royal dynastic drum. ALSO READ: Unraveling a different perspective on political dynamics in ancient Rwanda Nsibura had gained control over islands in Lake Kivu and the surrounding regions, posing a significant threat to Ndahiro II Cyamatare. To secure his lineage, Ndahiro II Cyamatare sent his son Ndoli to Karagwe (in Tanzania at that time), a kingdom ruled by Karemera I Ndagara, the husband of Princess Nyabunyana, who was Ndoli's aunt. Ndahiro II Cyamatare sought assurance for the safety of his designated heir, while his other son, Kibogo, remained in Rwanda. This decision was made during a gathering at Mukingo in the former Kigoma commune, within the former Gitarama prefecture. Amidst internal conflicts, Nsibura Nyebunga, the King of Bunyabungo, joined forces with Nzira, the son of Muramira and King of Bugara (a region previously annexed by Rwanda), and Bamara to launch an attack on Ndahiro Cyamatare at Gitarama, formerly known as Kingogo and now situated in the western province. In the ensuing battle, Ndahiro was wounded in the valley, which later became known as the Irasaniro combat area. He was ultimately killed by Bugara warriors in the mountainous region of Rugarama, a place that came to be known as Rubi Rw'inyundo, or The Bad of Nyundo. This location is now part of the western region in Ngororero district. As Ndahiro crossed the Kibilira stream during this fateful encounter, his blood mingled with the stream's waters, and it became a taboo for Rwandan monarchs to cross that stream henceforth. Kings Kigeri Rwabugiri, Mibambwe Rutarindwa, and Yuhi Musinga strictly adhered to this tradition, bypassing the stream at its source. Following these events, Queen Mother Nyirandahiro Nyirangabo and the wives of Cyamatare, including Nyirabacuzi, the mother of Prince Ndoli, were captured and subsequently executed. All of these tragic events transpired in the same location, which was henceforth known as mu miko y'abakobwa or Erythrens of noble ladies. To commemorate this saga, a national mourning event was organized, spanning two weeks in the lunar months of April and May, leading up to the celebration of the feast of new rains, known as umuganura. ALSO READ: Rwandan history, Part 7: The Ascendancy of Mibambwe I Nsibura Nyebunga seized the Rwoga drum, a symbol of royal power and prestige, while the Cyimumugizi drum, which represented the omnipotent governance of the country, was recovered by Gitandura, its guardian. It was found in a cave in mu Rutandura, now located in Muhanga district. In the wake of Rubi rw'inyundo, Rwanda experienced famine, epidemics, livestock diseases, heightened animosity, and frequent violence, all previously unseen. A savior was desperately needed, a king who could alter the course of events and usher in a new era. [Source: The History of Rwanda by UR Researchers, sponsored by RURC (Rwanda Unity and Reconciliation Commission), traditional accounts, and the book Inganji Kalinga by Alex Kagame.]
