In 1905, the second district governor of Uganda, Collin Bell appointed a Muganda ex-soldier and British cadre, Semei Kakungulu 'President' of Busoga Lukiiko. Kakungulu also known as the ‘African Colonialists’ for his ambitions to become a king in areas where they had not existed, took up his post at Bugembe in 1906, which had become the new Busoga headquarters.

He managed to rule for eight years before he fell out with the British for his over growing ambitions to be declared King of Busoga in lieu of his support to the British. The British, were not willing to grant a kingship, to places which had not had them before. “...as a matter of general policy, I'm not in favour of creating a king or kabakas where they haven't existed before..," Governor Corydon wrote.

Kakungulu was dismissed in 1913 for disobeying the British Crown.