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The Kingdom of Kooki, also known as the Kooki kingdom, was a pre-colonial African kingdom located within the present-day Rakai District of Uganda that existed from approximately 1740 until 1896. The kingdom ceased to exist as an independent state in 1896 when it merged into the British Protectorate of Buganda. Its royal line continues to this day as a non-sovereign monarchy, and is currently led by The Kamuswaga Apollo Sansa Kabumbuli II a hereditary ruler of the Cultural Institution under the Laws of Uganda Obwa Kamuswaga bwa Kooki was gazetted as a cultural institution in the Uganda Government gazette Vol. CVII No.25 of 6th May, 2014.
In September 1888, Christian and Muslim rebels forced the king of Buganda, Mwanga II, into exile in German East Africa. A few month later in 1889, he asked the king of Kooki, Edward Kezekia Nadahura II, for military support against the rebels, but he was denied.Zoë Marsh, G. W. Kingsnorth, An Introduction to the History of East Africa, Cambridge University Press, 1957, pp. 131–133
During the Mohammadan war between June and August 1893, rebel forces fled into the independent kingdom of Kooki after being pushed out of Gomba District by British forces. Sir John Gray thought the rebels might settle down in Kooki due to its reputation for aiding slave dealers and the arms traffic. An expedition into Kooki were ordered and lieutenants Hobart and C.S Reddie were told to attack the capital of Rakai if Kooki gave the rebels sanctuary. The rebels quickly surrendered to British forces after they were attacked. Ndahura welcomed the British soldiers and had a mutual understanding with the British to not support rebels.
In 1894, Ndahura II, went to the city of Kampala and asked the British government if his kingdom could become a British protectorate but his request was denied. The following year in 1895, Ndahura II went back to Kampala and asked if his "territories maybe included in Buganda Kingdom under the protection of Her Majesty’s government.” Again he was denied.
Under this agreement the Kamuswaga (king) was given a special seat in Buganda's parliament (Lukiiko), cultural privileges, and a right to preserve cultural autonomy. The Kooki would also be made into a first class county (Saza) with a special status. The Kooki remained semi-independent until 1966 when Uganda's first Prime Minister Milton Obote abolished the Kingdom of Buganda.
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