X3o AFRICAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS
which bound the herdsmen to their leader was in the nature of clientage, obutoizha. The Bahima alone were politically organized in that they combined to create and maintain the particular system of differential relationships which existed in the kingdom. The fundamental force which the State exercised in maintaining these relationships was military power. Now let us examine the ties which bound the subject peoples to the king.
To the Bahima, the word 'Bairu' signifies serfdom, a legal status inferior to that existing between themselves. The index of Bairu status was race and the dependence upon agriculture for a livelihood. The difference in status is perhaps best expressed by a statement of the limitations of Bairu rights.
The Bairu were not permitted to own productive cows. For services rendered to the Bahima, they were sometimes given barren cows and bull calves. These cattle the Bairu either kept for making marriage payments or slaughtered for food. If a Mwiru did have productive cows in his possession, any Muhima could take them away from him. There is a story among the Bairu that long ago they owned cattle, but that these cattle were taken from them by the invading Bahima. Some veterinary officers in western Uganda believe that this is true and that the cattle wrhich the Bairu owned were of a different breed from the present-day Ankole longhorn. This belief they base upon the existence of shorter horned stock upon the fringes of Bahima country, as, for instance, the cattle of the Bakiga of Kigezi.
The social distinction between the Bahima and the Bairu was maintained by a strict prohibition of marriage. No Mwiru could many a Muhima woman. The Bahima, when questioned upon this matter, laugh and say that such a marriage is quite unthinkable. Not only is the idea of such a marriage repugnant to the Bahima, but the validation impossible, as the Bairu, in former times, did not possess the cattle necessary for the bride-price. Bahima men did not many Bairu women, for it was illegal to give the Bairu cattle, which alone legitimized marriage and offspring. On the other hand, however, Bahima men took concubines from among Bairu girls. These women had no status as married women and were usually described as servant girls. Bairu concubines were especially common among Bahima chiefs and gave rise to a class of half-castes known as Abambari. From the point of view of legal status, the Abambari were classed as Bairu, but personal