The historical site of “Ku nzoga za Rubingo” is located on Mount Jali, in Jali Sector, Gasabo District. Although some people refer to it as “Mu nzoga za Rubingo,” the correct name is “Ku nzoga za Rubingo.” In Ikinyarwanda, the word “mu” implies being inside something, while “ku” means being on something. In this context, it refers to “on the mountain of inzoga za Rubingo.” ALSO READ: The challenge to royal succession of Ndahiro II Cyamatare “Ku Inzoga za Rubingo”, roughly translated as “on Rubingo’s beer”, is a significant site recognized for its deep connection to the history of the Rwandan kingdom, particularly during the reign of King Ruganzu II Ndoli, estimated to be over 500 years ago. ALSO READ: Unraveling a different perspective on political dynamics in ancient Rwanda According to a widely circulated story, Rubingo was a kinglet (umuhinza) who killed King Ndahiro II Cyamatare. King Ruganzu II Ndoli later killed him to avenge his father. However, this account is not accurate. Historical records of the death of King Ndahiro II Cyamatare do not identify Rubingo as his killer. During a period when the Kingdom of Rwanda was divided between the legitimate King Ndahiro II Cyamatare and Prince Bamara, King Nsibura Nyebunga of Bunyabungo reached out to Bamara, promising his support in eliminating Ndahiro. Nsibura sought revenge for the death of his father, King Muhoyo, who had been killed during the reign of King Mibambwe I Sekarongoro Mutabazi. King Ndahiro II Cyamatare fought valiantly against Prince Bamara and King Nsibura. During the battle, King Ndahiro was wounded and attempted to seek safety by crossing the Kibirira River, currently in Ngororero District. As he crossed, his royal blood spilled into the water, leading the elders to declare the river taboo, as it had “drunk the royal blood.” From that time onward, it was forbidden for any king to cross it. ALSO READ: The tale of Prince Mucocori and the people of Bigogwe While hiding from his pursuers, the fatally wounded King Ndahiro II Cyamatare retreated to Rugarama Hill – also in Ngororero District – where he chose to take his own life rather than be killed by his enemies. The account of King Ndahiro’s death, which occurred in Ngororero, has no connection to Rubingo, who lived on Mount Jali. Rubingo was not the killer of Ndahiro, and Ruganzu II Ndoli did not kill him, as Ndoli was well aware of his father’s true killers. So, what is the true story of Rubingo? According to elder Munyentwari Dioniziyo, who I met at his home on Mount Jali near the rock of “Ku nzoga za Rubingo,” Rubingo was not a kinglet who killed King Ndahiro. According to Munyentwari, Rubingo was actually the chief of land (umutware w’ubutaka) under King Ruganzu II Ndoli. It is important to note that every Rwandan king had three traditional chiefs: the chief of cattle (umutware w’inka), the chief of land (umutware w’ubutaka), and the chief of the army (umutware w’ingabo). Rubingo served as the umutware w’ubutaka under King Ruganzu II Ndoli. Until the 1980s, a calabash with three straws stood at the rock, filled with water that flowed directly from within it. People would come to drink from this calabash. Munyentwari also recalled that in the 1970s, former President Grégoire Kayibanda intended to destroy the site and turn it into a cemetery, but he died shortly after forming that plan. What continues to intrigue visitors at the site is that when one jumps on the rock, it seems to indicate the presence of a deep cavity beneath it. To this day, no archaeological research has been conducted there, although it is likely that what lies beneath the rock could surprise researchers. One may therefore ask why the First Republic sought to portray the chief of land under Ruganzu II Ndoli as the killer of his father. Knowing the true killers of King Ndahiro, I agree with Munyentwari that Rubingo was the chief of land under King Ruganzu II Ndoli, not his enemy. Why, then, was the man who served King Ruganzu II Ndoli turned into the killer of his father? That remains a debate for another day. The writer is a media specialist, historian, and playwright.
