Totem Ensenene Akabbiro Nabangogoma English Cone-headed Katydids Scientific Ruspolia Runyankole Ensenene Kiswahili   Clan Leader Mugalula Estates Kisozi Ssaza Ggomba Omubala Clan motto (i) Byaja ne bigwa. (ii) Ggwe mpagi, ggwe luwaga. (iii) Nakimera muka Ssuuna bw’asa bwanegula.

Buyonga’s daughter Wannyana was exceptionally beautiful and this earned her a privilege to mingle with royals of different kingdoms. She was a descendant of the Batoro of Mugamba hill, Busongola in Toro. Her father Buyonga was son of Kiroboozi who is said to be the grandfather of the Nsenene Clan.

The king of Bunyoro Winyi one time while on state duties saw Wannyana in Kisozi and admired her so much. He married her and took her to Kibulala. This is how she came to meet the Muganda prince, Kalemeera who had been banished in Bunyoro by his own father, Kabaka Ccwa Nabakka. Kalemeera and Wannyana had a secret love affair and later a son called Kimera who later assumed his grandfather’s throne in Buganda as Kabaka.

Meanwhile King Winyi’s wife Muwummuza, whom he left in Kisozi, Gomba the ancestral home of Wannyana to manage and govern it, got involved with Buyonga in a love affair and actually had a son with him known as Mugalula.
Some elders believe that the nsenene clansmen were Bahima from Ankole and cows were their source of livelihood. The name Mugalula is said to have originally been Mugarura which is common in Ankole. However, Nsimbi has a different view on that. He explains that when news reached Winyi in Bunyoro that Buyonga, Wannyana’s father had had a child with his wife Muwummuza in Kisozi, he said, “Enngoma agigaludde, ebadde ey’omukazi okudda ku musajja.” (He has usurped a woman’s throne to make it a man’s).

According to Nsimbi, these people were Bahima cattle keepers from Toro in Mugamba. Kiroboozi who is regarded the clan grandfather had very many children who fought over inheritance after his death but failed to settle the matter.
Buyonga, Kalibbala and their sister Nandawula planned to leave and settle elsewhere. They left their home Busongola in Mugamba with cows and settled in Buddu near Bwera. After a while, they left Bwera and settled in Nakanoni, Kakubansiri, Ggomba. It is here that Buyonga separated with his brother Kalibbala. Buyonga went to Kisozi and Kalibbala headed for Nsiisi in Busujju. Nandawula’s end is not documented.
Mugalula grew up and became the clan head and to date the head in Kisozi which is their official seat is referred to as Mugalula.

The Nsenene clan has a very important ritual it performs in Buganda every grasshopper season. The eating of the first grasshoppers which are delicacies in Buganda and beyond used to be cleansed by a Nsenene clansman who was required to jump over his wife or consumate with her to initiate the eating of these seasonal delicacies. This ritual was meant to increase their prevalence and also to stop any family member to fall sick.
The Nsenene royal duties included supplying the king with a wife, entitled Nakimera. Kajubi Batema supplied the Nnono palace with construction poles. Naamala, Kabaka’s cow is herded by Masembe of this clan. He also has the honor of presenting the wooden milk pot to the ascending king during the crowning ceremony and the king sips. The duiker from which the king learnt to hunt like Kimera did was presented by Kalibbala.

Popular names for men:
Kalanzi, Ssendawula, Kajubi, Ssewannyana, Kalibbala, Masembe, Mwebe, Mpagi, Kanyeerezi, Nkata, Kasumba, Luyombya, Beekalaze, Nteyafa, Bwogi, Ssepuya, Ssempiira, Mponye, Nsozi, Ssendikaddiwa, Kyome, Busonga, Kironde, Sserebe, Ssengaaga, Sseggoma, Mujabi, Katumwa, Senteza, Bunnya, Ssempagala, Mutiibwa, Dyeko, Maganyi, Ssimbwa, Nsambu, Ddingiro, Mbyalwa, Lukaayi, Nkwanzi, Lugobe, Kibanda

Popular names for women:
Nakalanzi, Nandawula, Nakajubi, Wannyana, Nakimera, Namisango, Nansikombi, Nabyonga, Kabennggano, Nambassa, Ndwaddeewazibwa, Namyenya, Katiiti, Katassi, Nabagesera, Nnaamala, Nakulima, Kutamba, Ddambya, Kayogoma, Lukwanzi

About the insect:
There are about fifteen types of Katydids and the nsenene is the cone-headed one. The species come in a variety of colours ranging from brown to green. In Buganda they are named thus; KKulumbisi (green), Kkulunkalu (brown), Kibazzi (green with pink colouring on the head, thorax and the wing), Ennangira (rangging form dark pink to red). In Ankole the are named thus; Kijubwe (green), Kati-komire (brown), Kagyenda Kahiire (Bright ochre), Omuheesi (green with pink colouring on the head, thorax and the wing) and Omwereere (ranging from dark pink to red)
These insects that are a special delicacy to many people in Uganda form a large Locust-like swam as they migrate.
They lay their eggs in the soil and hatch between 1-2 months reaching maturity between 2-3 months.
Because these insects are attracted by light, Urban dwellers trap them using very bright electrc bulbs for consumption and trade. In Uganda these insects prevail in the months of November/Musenene and May/Muzigo.