10 fearless black female warriors who made their mark on history

Muhumuza

A notable anti-colonial resistance movement, led by a lady named Muhumuza (also spelled Muhumusa), took place in the early 20th century in south-western Uganda. Muhumuza is seen as one of the many fantastic warrior queens in African history.

She was a chief who refused to acknowledge the usurper, Mwame Musinga, who was allied with the German colonials. In 1911, Muhumusa proclaimed “she would drive out the Europeans” and “that the bullets of the Wazungu would turn to water against her.” She roused a military resistance which was stamped out within months, and she spent the rest of her life under detention, first by the Germans and then at the behest of the British (1912-1945).

Muhumusa became the first in a line of rebel priestesses fighting colonial domination in the name of Nyabingi according to Everlivingroots.