There are different accounts about the place where King Yuhi V Musinga was born. Some say that he was born in Kamuronsi, in Masisi territory, in DR Congo’s Province of North Kivu. Others say that he was born in Rubengera, in Karongi District, in Rwanda’s Western Province.

ALSO READ: King Yuhi V Musinga’s reign was marred by rebellion and questions of legitimacy

I had not paid much attention to his birth place until I heard a hot debate on social media recently, where many participants passionately asserted that King Musinga was born in Kamuronsi. Their assertion was based on his name Musinga. They said that when he was born in Kamuronsi, his father, Kigeli IV Rwabugiri, was there with a group of Intore – traditional dancers – from Abasinga clan, and amidst great joy, he gave his son the name Musinga, in reference to Intore.

ALSO READ: Yuhi V Musinga’s ‘strategic’ resistance against colonial rule

His birth place, based on objective facts and evidence, is Rubengera, nicknamed at that time mu Bwishaza because it was the first place where amashaza, or peas, were cultivated in Rwanda. The birth of a King, who lived during the colonial era should not be something controversial.

ALSO READ: ‘Rebellion’ beyond baptism: Yuhi V Musinga's struggle against Belgian colonists

Let’s start by the marriage of his father, King Kigeli IV Rwabugiri and his mother Nyirayuhi Kanjogera. According to historian Alexis Kagame, Kanjogera was married to King Rwabugiri in October 1861. Their wedding ceremony took place at Ngara, in Bumbogo, in current Gasabo District in Kigali. After their marriage, King Rwabugiri gave her a large herd of cattle and constructed her a royal residence at Kabuye, in Jabana, Gasabo District. Kanjogera moved to this new home in 1862 and was regularly visited by her husband. In Kabuye, she experienced multiple miscarriages. It is believed however that Munana, their first son was born at Kabuye.

Around 1874, King Rwabugiri moved her to a new residence he built in Rubengera. Kagame wrote that the year 1874 specifically marks the establishment of the Rubengera palace which served as a key military gathering and camping site for troops awaiting new expeditions.

It is from Rubengera that, in 1874, Rwabugiri prepared the assault on Muvunyi wa Karinda, the King of Bahunde. The reason for the attack was that there was a man called Shabikobe of Sebitoryi, who raised a breed of cattle called Imisakura on behalf of King Rwabugiri. Shabikobe was killed by Muvunyi who then stole the Imisakura. Rwabugiri decided to travel to Kamuronsi to get information about the theft of his cows. While he was about to set out, envoys arrived from King Mwezi IV Gisabo of Burundi. The envoys were three princes, accompanied by many high-ranking Burundian officials. Rwabugiri sent back a messenger saying that he was on a journey, and that they should wait for him until his return. He left them in the good care of his chief Mugabwambere wa Nyamutera, who accommodated them at Kanyinya ka Rubingo in Shyorongi.

King Rwabugiri ordered all his households, including Queen Kanjogera, to send them feasts, and make sure that the messengers of Gisabo lacked nothing. It was reported to the King that Kanjogera sent the best feasts to the messengers of King Gisabo. When he returned, Rwabugiri invited the messengers of Gisabo to meet him at Kabuye, where he spent several days with his Burundian guests.

Rwabugiri left Kabuye and went to Rubengera, where he was constructing a new royal palace, waiting at the same time for the spies he had sent to Buhunde. After these spies returned and gave him detailed information about Muvunyi and the most important chiefs in Buhunde, he launched the war against Muvunyi and defeated him, with his chiefs, including Murego wa Bigiri, Murengezi wa Nyarubwa, Karenge, Rwankuba, and Shabiganza.

The marriage of Kanjogera and the locations of her known residences provide objective evidence that Musinga could not have been born in Kamuronsi, since his mother never lived there. Similarly, the expedition against Muvunyi offers another important clue. When King Rwabugiri was planning this campaign, he received envoys from King Mwezi Gisabo at his residence in Kabuye. These facts make it clear that Musinga could not have been born in Masisi, as his mother did not reside there either.

It is true, the name Musinga comes from the Intore of Abasinga of Kamuronsi. But not because he was born there. It is because King Rwabugiri was there when he was born. King Rwabugiri visited Kamuronsi, shortly before a boy child was born in Bwishaza, in Karongi. A messenger was sent to tell the good news to the King, who was having a good time with his Intore of the Abasinga clan. Hearing the good news, he sent back the messenger, with the order to name the new baby boy Musinga, in reference to the Intore of Kamuronsi.