5 Spots where you can learn about the larger than life reign of Kabaka and Buganda Kingdom in Kampala
Buganda grew to become one of the largest and most powerful states in East Africa during the eighteenth and 19th centuries.
Buganda has a long bloody and extensive history, events which occurred here captured the world’s attention.
Unified in the 14th century under the first king Kato Kintu, the founder of Buganda's Kintu Dynasty, Buganda grew to become one of the largest and most powerful states in East Africa during the eighteenth and 19th centuries.
Here are five spots you can visit to learn more about the larger than life life of Kabaka and the Buganda Kingdom.
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The Kabaka Monument
It is really hard to miss this giant structure in Kampala.
Kabaka monument rises 11 metres above the ground and the area has a diameter of 12.8 metres.
The monument whose centerpiece is a gigantic split drum (called engalabi in Luganda) is located in the middle of the stretch from Bulange (headquarters of the Buganda government) and the Lubiri the king’s palace.
The stretch is also known as the Royal mile or King’s way.
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The spear and the shield hanging in the middle of the split drum represent the Kingdom’s emblem on the Buganda flag.
Also read: 7 STRANGE TRADITIONS ACROSS AFRICA
Kasumbi Tombs
Historical lovers would love this.
Kasumbi tombs site is an active religious place in the Buganda kingdom, to the Baganda the Kabaka is the unquestioned symbol of spiritual political and social state of the Buganda nation.
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It is situated on Kasumbi hill within city of Kampala.
Kabaka’s lake
This is the largest man-made lake in Uganda.
It was constructed by the 52 clans of Buganda from 1885 – 1888 during the reign of Ssekabaka Mwanga 11.
The plan of the king was to construct a channel wide enough for him to travel by boat to Lake Victoria for swimming and fishing.
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It is located in Ndeeba Rubanga division of Kampala City.
Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine
Every Christian faithful needs to visit this shrine at least once in their lifetime.
The Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine is a Roman Catholic shrine dedicated to the Ugandan Martyrs.
It was here where King Mwanga took the fateful decision to begin putting Christians to death for their beliefs.
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22 martyrs were killed between 1885 and 1887 by Kabaka (King) Mwanga of Buganda in the South of Uganda.
The blood of Uganda’s martyrs was shed on the soil around Munyonyo.
It is located along St. Andrew Kaggwa Rd, Kampala City.
Uganda Museum
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This is another great spot you can learn more about the life of Kabaka.
The Uganda museum displays and exhibits ethnological, natural-historical and traditional life collections of the Uganda’s cultural heritage.
The museum was founded in 1908 after Governor George Wilson called for “all articles of interest on Uganda to be procured.
It is located along Kira Road, Kampala city.
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