Rungemba
The headquarters of Chief Munyigumba
A coupe palace ..
This place was the headquarters of Chief Munyigumba, the father of Chief Mkwawa. Chief Munyigumba played a significant role in expanding the Hehe empire and uniting more than 100 clans into a single politically centralised society.
Shortly after the death of Chief Munyigumba, this place experienced a coupe palace by Mwamubambe, the brother in-law of Chief Mkwawa. This forced the legitimate successor, Chief Mkwawa, to go into exile. Mwamubambe is acknowledged to be the villain of Hehe history.
Chief Mkwawa’s return ..
The Hehe were not happy under the rule of Mwamubambe, and they went on organising secret plans for Chief Mkwawa’s return. Chief Mkwawa later returned and organised an uprising that kicked out Mwamubambe. He was defeated after losing about a thousand men and was himself killed while running away from the scene. The battlefield took place at another place named Lundamatwe, meaning “the place where many heads are piled up”. After this win, the Hehe under Chief Mkwawa campaigned in many places where they had fought under Chief Munyigumba. These campaigns followed one upon another with great success and intensity than before.
