Civil wars the most serious in the national history. The Banyoro have not for years been an aggressive people, though there were occasional punitive expeditions sent against adjacent nations. The civil wars which took place at the death of each king to decide the question of succession were the most serious events in the national history. There have, however, been war expeditions which were directed against either the Bakedi, one of the Nilotic tribes lying to the north-east of Bunyoro and bordering on Lake Albert, or against the Banyankole whose country lies to the south-west of Bunyoro; they had also to resist the inroads of the Baganda on their southern borders. The Banyoro state that they have not made attacks upon the Baganda for years, but have only resisted the attacks made by that nation, whereas upon the other two nations they made organised attacks in order to capture cattle.

The king leading the army in person. For many years it has been customary for the king to remain at home and not to accompany the army. The people discourage their king from leading the army in person because they fear that he might be killed or wounded, and he therefore appoints a deputy to whom he delegates special powers during the expedition. The general thus appointed is selected by the king in consultation with the mediums of gods. Chiefs are ordered to go to war in person, unless the king excuses them and tells them to send a deputy with a number of men.