Name: Uhuru

Meaning: Freedom

Age: Varies

Gender: Female

Mother: Wema

Father: Kabili

Siblings: Amani

Mate: Ubora

Cubs: None for now

Likes: Reunions, her sister and her mate

Dislikes: Loneliness, longing and despair

Pelt: Dark golden

Eyes: Light blue

Mane/tail: Brown

Distinguishing Features: Hair tuft, cheek spots and two colours in her ears

Personality: Fun, loving, caring, yet seems sad and lonely at times even with company

Relation to the Lion King: She is Kopa, Vitani, Kovu and Kiara’s granddaughter

Uhuru was kept a secret to everyone in the Pridelands except Kabili, Wema and Amani. Uhuru was Amani’s twin sister, however, because Uhuru was the first born, Wema was too busy giving birth to Amani that a hyena stole into the birthing den and stole Uhuru.

This hyena was the daughter of the clan leader that raised Nabii. Uhuru didn’t know about her other family, the hyenas never told her. She was raised without any other contact from lions through all her cub life. She was taught to scavenge food and water from other animals, just like hyenas.

Then, as a young teenager, whilst Uhuru was walking through the dark grasslands, she saw a light cream lion in the distance. Uhuru froze. She had no idea what to do because she had never encountered another lion before. The stranger lion approached slowly, showing off proudly a large tuft of hair on his chest and head – the beginnings of a mane.

“Hey. I’m Ubora!”

Uhuru was speechless. “I’m Uhuru.”

“Uhuru..? That’s a beautiful name! Where do you come from? I live by myself, living my own life free from parents and siblings!”

“I live with hyenas. I have never met a lion before.”

Ubora took a step back. “Never seen a lion? I’m so sorry; I’ve probably given you an awful shock!”

Uhuru blushed – she quite liked this new lion. “It’s okay.”

There was silence for a few moments as the two lions stared at each other.

“Could I come with you?” asked Uhuru.

“Most definitely!” replied Ubora, with a little bow.

Ubora and Uhuru were the perfect match. Ubora taught Uhuru how to hunt rather than scavenge and Uhuru opened up about her thoughts and feelings about her past and her childhood memories.

Ubora told Uhuru that she should go and find her family and that he’d support her all the way through.

They went from pride to pride, grassland to grassland trying to find Uhuru’s family. Then, one day, they were sheltering in a cave when Ubora noticed it was painted with lots of stories. Uhuru was astonished as right in the centre of a wall was a painting of a family of lions and one of the cubs looked exactly like her.

“Ubora.” She whispered. “It’s me!”

Together they were so excited that they ran right up to the pride that owned the land.

Uhuru walked right into Pride Rock and saw a lioness with the exact colours of the other cub in the picture. This lioness noticed the new comers and gasped.

“Kuibiwa!” she shouted.

“Woah!” exclaimed Uhuru. “I’m Uhuru, not Kuibiwa!”

“Uhuru? That’s not right! You look exactly like my sister that was taken, but she was called Kuibiwa!”

“I was taken, but I’ve been called Uhuru all my life. You’re my sister?”

The other lioness nodded. “I’m Amani!”

The two lionesses embraced each other whilst the lions acknowledged each other, both with tears in their eyes as they see their mates suddenly filled with such happiness.

Uhuru and Ubora remained in the Pridelands for the rest of their lives.

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