The Abeishikatwa clan is a clan in Ankole people (Kingdom) that traces from Bwishikatwa hills(amabanga) in Mpororo area present day Rukungiri, Ntungamo and neighboring districts which was a kingdom as early as 1650 under Onukama Kamurari but was later disintegrated by internal power wars hence dissolving in the ancient Ankole Kingdom.
Their grandfathers include Kivuna,Kaleire and Rubatemba among others. They are further divided into sub-groups (sub-clans) that is Abavuna also known as Abataganya b’amabanga or Ababura-Ifubo and Abeiruntu where the first sub-group is considered the royal group as opposed to the latter.
Despite of being subdivided they all remain one clan and have the same Totem (Omuziro). Their Totems varry from Grasshopper (Enseneene) to a Grey cow( Mbazi). According oral traditional stories and myths told over generations in Ankole, totems of Abeishikatwa clan were adopted from an incident when an old Mwishikatwa father of many boys was at the well while their cows were drinking water (Okweshera). At this moment, the sons had people shouting in the near-by village where they ran to help incase of any attack.
When they left, the heifer (Kabazi) which was on hit was mounted by a bull forcing it to step and kill the old father who was left behind resting in the shade without any help. When the sons came back from the village where they found that people were shouting happily while they were chasing grasshoppers, they hated the heifer for killing the Dad and decided to make both the causes of their father’s death a taboo (omuziro).
They hated the heifer and all those similar to it and even wastefully sold it and bought Lies (Ekishuba). They were therefore known as the most deceitful clan in the ancient Ankole Kingdom. However according to Samuel Isingoma a culturalist in Ankole, the Lies that were bought by this clan was later stolen from them by another clan of Abeitira Abakamoomo Kabushara hence setting the clan free from being deceitful.
Their royal drum(Engoma) which was a sign of leadership and identity of any strong clan then was called Murorwa under Omukama Kamurari however had limited powers to rule since they were neutral-that is didn’t belong to the two prominent bigger clans of Ankore of Bashambo and Bagahe.They were neutral and was therefore called Ishanga ry’enganda zoona and there were never servants to any king but nobles.
These people were tall, slim and light-skinned in appearance with striking eyes. When the grandsons of Omukama Kamurari Rutindangyenzi rwa Murorwa and Omukama Kamurari (II) fought for power after his death in 1753,the Mpororo kingdom disintegrated to 6 sub groups which scattered in the whole great lakes region hence Abeishikatwa coming to Ankole Kingdom.
Currently the Abeishikatwa are found in many parts of Uganda mostly in cattle Corridor districts stretching from Isingiro(Bukanga) to Kyankwanzi(Kyenkwanzi) since they have been cattle keepers for all their lifetime. They have intermarried with other clans but always loves themselves and God as their motto says “For God and My Clan”
