Akanyijuka Evans is a digital artist based in Kampala, Uganda. In his series, Akanyijuka collages and manipulates photography with AI-generated images to create hyperrealistic works. Through his series Within The Depths Of The Unrealized, Lies The Potential, Akanyijuka challenges the tendency to dismiss what we do not fully comprehend.
He embraces objective reasoning and the act of listening, recognising the potency of contradictions as a means to gain deeper insight into life’s contradictions. His work has been exhibited in group exhibitions such as Silent Invasions: The Art of Material Hacking in Amasaka Gallery, and the Art of Equality.
Evans was also a resident artist at 32 Degrees East in Uganda.
“Over the years, working with history and cultural heritage has given me valuable insights into my own identity and origins. Understanding the stories of the past holds immense power, offers lessons from the mistakes and victories of preceding generations, and highlights how those errors and victories have influenced the contemporary world. “
This knowledge helps him make more informed decisions when confronted with similar historical patterns. It also fosters a deep sense of pride in his cultural roots and the region where he was born and raised.
PROJECT SYNOPSIS
Evans, will be creating a project based on Rujumbura, a breakaway state from the Mpororo Kingdom in 1752, presently located in South West Uganda’s Rukungiri district. The historical Battle of Kagogo, where Rujumbura resisted Ankole rule under the leadership of Omukama Makobore, takes center stage in the project’s exploration.
Using digital art, specifically photography, and collage, the project will visually depict what transpired during this historical event. It will unravel the events that fueled this battle, spotlight the key leaders that propelled this resistance, and share the power of a small community resisting a powerful kingdom.



The residency will give him the space to develop and amplify his research, translate his findings into artistic expressions, allow him to contribute meaningfully to the discourse around the subject matter of his work, and enrich his understanding of his heritage.
PROJECT EVOLUTION
History has a way of calling out to us, especially when it lies in the environment that we still traverse. This led me to the Kagogo Valley in Rukungiri District, Southwestern Uganda. What began as a conversation in 2023, soon evolved into a deeply personal journey, one that would shape the art I created and the stories I sought to tell. My residency began with a research trip to the very place where history unfolded. The Kagogo Valley, now a forest reserve, was once the stage for a fierce battle.
But my trip wasn’t just about visiting a historic site; it was about connecting with the past through the people who still carry its memories. I had the privilege of holding conversations with descendants of those who fought in the battle. These conversations were not merely historical recounts; they were living connections to a time long past. While in Rukungiri, I also visited local blacksmiths (abaheesi) who were kind enough to take me through the process in which iron work was done. I was also able to buy a few items from them that I would later use during the creation of the works. Around the same time, we had a session that focused on researching and working with archives conducted by Muthoni Mwangi; initially I had concentrated more on the breadth of my research but this session became a building block for me on how to think about the information I had gotten and the eventual work I would create.
RE-IMAGININGS
This stage ushered me into the ideation and conceptualisation stage of my residency. While the research did not stop through the course of the residency, this was a period of intense creative exploration, where historical research met artistic vision. I collaborated closely with Kevin Murungi, an artist and fashion designer, to design clothing for a photoshoot that would later help me create the artworks. Kevin and I worked tirelessly, translating historical references into designing the clothes. This process was iterative and deeply reflective, as we constantly revisited the photographs that I had gathered during my research. This was coupled with conceptualizing the way the collages would turn out after the photoshoots. This phase culminated in a series of photoshoots in preparation for the making of the artworks.
Kitami akaitwa enjoki (Kitami was killed by a bee)
Kitami was the only queen to rule over Mpororo Kingdom after her father (Nyawera) handed to her the royal drum of the kingdom Murorwa. Kitami died after she was stung by a carpenter bee. Kitami alive was spiritually powerful and her death made her even more powerful. It was still after her death that the name Nyabingi (one who has and brings many things) was born. This name is still present to date and is very popular especially in Jamaica. The royal drum was later passed down to the son of Kitami, Kahaya Rutindagyezi who was the last ruler of Mpororo kingdom before its eventual disintergration. Kahaya refused to pass down the drum to any of his sons and this led the kingdom to split into different parts in which Rujumbura was among. This is how Rujumbura became an autonomous state with Kirenzi being the first leader.
“Ekyeshuuro”
In Rujumbura, it was a common practice for marriage to be used to cement relationships especially with groups of people that were not part of the Rujumbura. This was evident when I found that Ntimbiri (the sister to Makobore who was the leader of Rujumbura at the time the war happened) was the wife to Omugabe Ntare V who was the leader of Ankore kingdom in 1895. One of the causes that sparked off the war was when Ntimbiri was playing a game with her husband Ntare V. This game is commonly known as “Ekyeshuuro” in Rujumbura. During the game, Ntare V told his wife of his plans to attack Rujumbura and capture Makobore’s specially bred cows known as Embamba. Ntimbiri warned the king about his plans and further told him his army would be defeated if he attempted the attack. This angered Ntare and he considered it treasonous. He then plotted to kill his wife but she managed to escape after getting to know of the husband’s intentions. As she was moving back to Rujumbura through Mitooma, she was surrounded by the Ankore soldiers that were sent out to look for her, so she killed herself instead of being captured.
“Miranda ya Rwaibabiro”
Miranda was best known as Makobore’s right handman. He was both the commander of the army of Rujumbura that was known as Enyakabiito but also doubled as the intermediary between Rujumbura and foreigners. It was through this that he was able to acquire the first guns in the region from the Belgians in Congo. When Rujumbura was aware of Ankore’s plans to attack, Makobore’s cows were taken westward to Lake Edward. Miranda then commissioned all the blacksmiths in the area to make short spears well aware their numbers could not match up to that of the Ankore army, so they did not want to lose weapons when they threw them. Miranda also set up a communication line(soldiers disguised as hunters from Rujumbura to Kaaro karungi) to constantly be informed of the plans of Ankore kingdom. Miranda was a spiritual leader. One of the rituals the army did as described by his daughter was putting milk in a milk pot “Ekyanzi” then letting a herd of cattle pass over it, if the milk did not spill, the army would be confident in fighting the battle. Makobore’s grandmother Kaharagi would also mingle millet on top of a hut, when the millet got ready without the hut burning down, the army would eat part of it and then go out to battle. When they returned they would again eat the millet bread that was left over. If the hut burnt down while she was preparing the millet, then the army would be hesitant to go into battle. Miranda was also very known for using rainmaking to take advantage during battle.
Obuuro bwa Kaharagi” (Kaharagi’s millet)
Enyakabiito omuuri Kagogo” (Enyakabiito in Kagogo)
The army of Rujumbura was well aware of Ankore’s intentions which helped them plan adequately. Well knowing that they would attack from the East of Rujumbura, Miranda and Makobore took advantage of the terrain and then led them into the valley of Kagogo (former name unknown). Miranda positioned a few of his men inside the valley and disguised them as herdsmen grazing cattle. When the army of Ankore led by Rujabuka (the brother of Ntare V) saw the herdsmen, they attacked them to take the cows. When they got in close contact, they were attacked by the herdsmen who had short spears and during the fight, Rujabuka was beheaded.The army was engulfed by the other soldiers that were hiding closeby. “Rujabuka omuuri Kagogo” Ankore kingdom retaliated, Makobore and Miranda organized most of the people living in Rujumbura
“Rujabuka omuuri Kagogo”
Ankore kingdom retaliated, Makobore and Miranda organized most of the people living in Rujumbura and they moved westwards into parts of Kambuga to escape the brutality of Ankore kingdom. Devasted by the fact that most of the people had escaped on their return, the Ankore army decided to destroy and loot most of the property that they found in the area.
“Rwanyekiro” (one who moves in the night)
Makobore and most of the people could not succumb to the pressure from the Ankore army. They retreated westwards of Rujumbura towards Kambuga, where the Ankore army was further challenged by the terrain. Makobore stayed in Kambuga waiting for the situation to settle down until his eventual return closer to the 19th century. In this same time, the British were expanding further from the central to the western part of Uganda. It was in 1901 where the Ankole agreement was signed and former parts of Mpororo such as Igara were annexed into Ankore. Rujumbura was to be annexed into Ankore too but Makobore refused to pay allegiance to a kingdom that he had formally been in battle with and also insisted on the fact Rujumbura was an independent state from Ankore and requested to be part of Kigezi district instead. He therefore requested that Rujumbura is made part of Kigezi district instead. His relationship with the foreigners started off peaceful but after the death of the leader of Igara in the hands of the British and the death of his brother Rugyembe in the hands of the Belgians, he started to hide from the Europeans; he moved mostly at night and was given the nickname Rwanyekiro(one who moves in the night). By 1912, the British had stopped the westward expansion of Ankore kingdom. Makobore was successful in having Rujumbura part of the Kigezi district and was made the first county chief of the district.
A JOURNEY BEYOND ART
Working with a timeline from two centuries ago was not without its challenges. There were many gaps in the information—questions that no one could answer. For example, I sought to find a description of the Embamba cows that were bred for Makobore that time but I could not get my hands on anything. Visual elements, like photographs which I was very interested in, were particularly hard to find or even non-existent. The scarcity of documented images made me acutely aware of the importance of metadata in digital archives. It made me realise how details such as the location of the photograph, name of the photographer, and the year a photograph was taken can be invaluable when piecing together historical narratives and also be a great reference in the future.
This realization led me to explore digital re-imaginings as a way to fill some of these gaps. By incorporating A.I. re-imaginings into my work, I could visualize elements that were well-described but lacked visual representation. These digital tools allowed me to breathe life into aspects of the past that might have otherwise remained hidden, adding depth and context to the historical narrative I was constructing.
A.I reimagining of the drum Nyakayoza
“It was well decorated and designed with small shells and beads. It was placed with another small drum referred to as its wife usually placed beside it. Drumsticks made of elephant tusks or hippo teeth were kept in a bag and also placed beside the drum” as described by Paul Ngorogoza in Kigezi and its People
The residency was more than just an artistic endeavor for me; it was a journey of learning and unlearning. The residency offered invaluable knowledge and resources from not only researching history and working with archives but also how to ensure sustainability with regards to acquiring resources to fund research projects.
Through this stage of researching the Battle of Kagogo, I connected with history, explored the intersection of memory and art, and gained a deeper understanding of the importance of preserving our collective heritage. The works I created are not just collages; they are windows into a time long gone, reminding us of the delicate threads that connect us to our history.