Julia Kibubura

Julia Kibubura was the first woman to take up a political leadership position as Gombolola (County) chief in Western Uganda. The locals addressed her as Omwami which is translated as Sir in English.

Kibubura was born in Ibanda to the witch doctor of then Omugabe Mutabuka. She was forced into exile when her father, an influential fortune teller and medicine man sided with Mukwenda who was locked up in a power struggle with Ntare-V. Mukwenda lost this fight and thus had to flee.

Julia Kibubura was baptized in 1903 after she and other 25 readers travelled by foot to Mbarara for baptism. She went back in Ibanda and she was instrumental in the construction of the first church made of mud and wattle. The church was later in 1970s replaced with the current St. Paul church of Uganda Ibanda on which Late Archbishop Luwum laid a foundation stone in 1976

Kibubura's known grandson is Michael Kibeeherere

Controversies There is still a rumour in Ibanda that Kibubura had a secret love affair with Harry St George Galt and that it is the reason why he appointed her as a Gombolola chief in Western Uganda. Kibubura's astounded natives of Ibanda because at that time, women leaders were usually frowned upon.| However, Michael Kibeeherere, a grandson of Julia Kibubura, disputed the claim of the secret love affair by saying that "Kiburura was an honourable person, virtuous and dignified, totally incapable of an extramarital affair," in 2016.