Lake Mutanda comes of age

Lake Mutanda, and the nearby Lake Mulehe, have for long captured the imagination of locals and visitors alike, but have never quite made it to the top of the tourism rankings in Uganda, when one was considering where to go, for a long weekend or for a few days of a family trip exploring the country side. It was always Jinja, or Murchison or Queen Elizabeth or Lake Mburo, Mbale perhaps with the Sipi Falls but few would take the trouble to travel all the way into the border triangle of Uganda, Rwanda and Congo.

Lake Mutanda ‘Those roads, no thank you’ was a common reaction I received from friends who do regularly traverse Uganda in search of new places to discover when I mentioned to them where I was heading. But truth told the roads from Kampala via Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale and then on to Kisoro are in a much better state today than they have been in many years. While there is still work going on at sections between Mbarara and Kabale, the Kabale to Kisoro road is fully operational, perfect tarmac and scenic like few others in Uganda. That road in fact was truly a reason in the past to shun Kisoro, especially when after a few rainy seasons the surface resembled a washing board, but no longer.

Thankfully that is presently changing mainly due to the brand new 75 kilometer tarmac road but in part also because of hospitality investors finally promoting their lodges, resorts and related activities to a greater extend now that they are more easily accessible. Electricity poles and installations have already reached as far as Nkuringo, and the Lake Mutanda area too is foreseen to be put on mains supply in due course. The road from Kisoro to Lake Mutanda and beyond to Nkuringo and Nteko is due for upgrading under a government policy to open up areas of key tourism potential but that of course will also benefit the local farmers who at last can get their produce to the markets. Additionally is added interest in this part of Uganda triggered by the sharply grown focus on the area among foreign visitors, those coming by overland trucks, back packers who often spend a week or more and who actively post their pictures on Twitter and Face book and write about it in their blogs. That of course applies to mainstream tourists just as well, who often fly into Kisoro – Aero link now operates daily flights from Entebbe via Kihihi – or reach in the comfort of their 4×4’s. Many of those have written rave reviews on Trip Advisor about the lodges they stayed in, the hikes they did and the parks they visited, finally spurring interest among the local expatriate community too who, as mentioned before, are always looking for other places than the ‘regular’ adventure and adrenaline activities of Jinja. When coming to the Kisoro / Lake Mutanda / Nkuringo area they can be assured of a place where they can get active if they want to and laze about if that is what they prefer. Whether they hike, boat or have brought their mountain bikes with them to explore the area, they will not be disappointed, nor will they be from their sun beds at Chameleon Hill Lodge with that breathtaking 180 degrees vista.

The locals, friendly as all Ugandans are, have a lot of lore and tales to tell about the lakes while the wagenis are of course mainly interested in the scenic value of the locations to take pictures galore of one of Uganda’s better kept secrets and the lakes and the hills and volcanoes around Kisoro town..

Among the foreign travelers coming to Uganda has the Kisoro area steadily gained a reputation as a must see location, and many indeed combine their visit to the Mountain Gorillas of Mgahinga or Bwindi national parks or the tracking of the Golden Monkeys at Mgahinga with an added stay at one of the lakes.

Lake Mutanda is located just 17 kilometres outside Kisoro, the elevation of just under 1.800 metres making for warm days and cool nights, never too cold and never too hot, allowing for a range of activities, on the lake and around it. The lake can be reached easily by public transport, aka taxis or the equally common boda bodas, though the road is rough from the moment one turns off the tarmac in Kisoro town and heads out into the country side. Visitors coming with their own cars are therefore well advised to have a second spare tyre in the boot or bring repair kits for their mountain bikes, should they intend to ride those over the rocky roads leading up to the lakes.

The rewards for visitors are those magnificent vistas from higher elevations, marked by the islands of Lake Mutanda against the backdrop of the Virunga volcanoes Sabinyo, Muhavura and Mgahinga.

I was on this trip coming from Nkuringo after first hiking across Bwindi and exploring the forests and hills to and from Nteko and Lake Mutanda was the next key stop on my tour of South Western Uganda and another eye opener it was to become.

I will write separately about the new Chameleon Hill Lodge I found perched on a ridge high above the lake, coming suddenly into sight like a castle in the air, but for now let it suffice to say it is arguably Uganda’s most colour ful, quirkiest and funkiest lodge I have seen yet and at a location where the proverbial million dollar view has surely turned into the billion dollar view.

From the lofty heights of Nkuringo, the road gradually made its way towards lower elevations as it hugged its way tightly to the mountain sides before reaching Kisoro down in the valley. Through small farms terraced into the steep hills, little villages and plenty of homesteads, this being one of Uganda’s most intensely farmed and populated areas, the road snaked from one steep corner to the next and drivers surely need to take care and not go too fast, though the road conditions will not really allow for that.

Especially in the morning hours, the valleys below are often ‘boiling’ with fog and mist, making for impressions which will last a lifetime when one comes from higher up only to witness such spectacles of nature in the early hour after sunrise.

Hikers with guides – absolutely recommended – or without guides – not so recommended – find it easy going downhill, probably steeled already by the experiences of previous days when they had to scale the escarpments and steep paths while hiking and the few boda bodas and pickup trucks, besides an occasional 4×4, pose no real problems when strutting along what on maps appears to be a major road but in reality remains an often deeply rutted challenge to drivers and cars.

A fork in the road, some kilometres from Nkuringo towards Kisoro, without any sign posts for that matter, gives one the choice to go on directly – using the left – or else hike via Lake Mutanda – using the ‘right’ branch – the latter direction leading through patches of forest, sambas and wetlands on the bottom of the often steep valleys, with not a single car passing until the lake came into sight. Birds aplenty can be seen while walking, something often lost when sitting in a car, and the fresh air carries an occasional whiff of wood smoke, a pointer to a nearby homestead where the main meal of the day is being prepared. When Lake Mutanda finally comes into sight, hikers will get their reward on sunny days, as behind the lake the distant volcanoes are visible, making for an awe inspiring sight. The lake itself is dotted with islands which are worth exploring and canoes are available at a reasonable cost, and recommended as long as they carry life vests for their passengers. Again, bird sightings are the main feature of course, especially along the main shores of the lake where reed grass provides a perfect nesting and foraging environment for our feathered friends.

Motor boat options are now available to traverse the lake but nothing beats the almost silent way how the canoes are floating across the waters, the only sound being the boatman’s paddle being used, or the calls of birds of prey above, seeking to take advantage of birds being startled by the canoe approaching and flying up from their hiding places in the reed grass to see what is going on.

Wherever one chooses to stay, at one of the resorts right on the lake, the eco tourism centre or as far as Kisoro itself, where plenty of options are now available, offering 1 to 3 star hotels and even non star rated accommodation which serves those travelling at the tightest shoe string budget, access to these trails and tours is now available to all visitors. These excursions and hikes, lasting from a few hours to a full day, are covering both Lake Mutanda and Lake Mulehe. Seasoned hikers however also have the options to discover the trails of the Virunga volcanoes on the Ugandan side, starting with Mgahinga where Nkuringo Walking Safaris offers tailor made trips or else make their way up to Muko and Lake Bunyonyi along yet more scenic winding roads as long as they have a few days to spare for such multi day trails. www.gorillahighlands.com organizes such hikes as well as boat trips on LakeBunyonyi, which opens up the amazing, and at times baffling history of that area.

The Eye, in its printed version has a range of accommodation options listed for visitors to the area, but information is now also available when simply googling Kisoro or Lake Mutanda and where links to Mgahinga National Park also give added information about the wider Kisoro area.

Those going to this part of the country should also know that not all phone networks have constant coverage and anyone bringing a USB modem to get connected through tablet or laptops, unless in Kisoro itself, can have a rude awakening. Some networks in fact jump to expensive roaming services of their sister networks in Rwanda or even Congo and getting wireless connectivity – as long as a signal actually can be captured which depends on location – is normally the better bet through smart phones compared to the use of USB modems. Those often at best get that notorious green light, indicating a slow Edge or GPRS connection but rarely get into the high speed range, if they can hook up at all.

And one final tip, do not leave Kisoro without buying some locally produced organic honey. A bee keepers’ cooperative is now marketing different types of honey, from the forests as well as the more open areas around Kisoro and in their shop even bee wax candles can be bought. Kisoro honey is arguably Uganda’s finest and any purchase will bring money directly to the rural folks allowing them to improve their lives.

After two recent trips to this part of Uganda I certainly once more fully appreciate that Uganda is indeed The Pearl of Africa.

Ugandans spend $66m touring Kenya

Ugandans spend $66m annually on Kenya’s tourism, Amos Wekesa, a board member of the Uganda Tourism Board, has said.

“It is unfortunate that we appreciate every thing foreign as far as tourism and purchases are concerned, yet it is our time now to appreciate our own local products,” he said.

Speaking at a stakeholders dinner at the Imperial Resort Hotel in Entebbe, Wekesa said Uganda is the number one source market for Kenya’s tourism, with over 33,000 Ugandan tourists going to Kenya and Mombassa and spending over $66m.

“It only makes sense if the same Ugandans go to Ugandan national parks and spend the same amount or if we get the same number of Kenyans coming to Ugandan parks, which is not happening,” he said.

He observed that Ugandans are not even trying to invest in tourism. He said out of the 100,000 beds in East Africa, Uganda has only 15,000 rooms to serve its parks and game reserves.

Kenya has 85,000 and the rest are shared between Rwanda tours, Burundi and Tanzania.

Although Uganda is the second, Rwanda is picking up fast.

“When you compare our 10 national parks and13 game reserves, we have less than 15,000 rooms, yet Masai Mara National Park, which is 1,500sq kilometres, has over 7,000 beds. It means that one national park in Kenya has more rooms than what we have in all our national parks,” he observed.

He noted that although this shows a big gap, it is an opportunity which Ugandans need to exploit to develop the sector.

Wekesa blamed this on lack of funds to market local tourism. Kenya allocates $23m, Tanzania $10m, Burundi $1.5m, Rwanda $5m while Uganda allocated about $560,000 to the Uganda Tourism Board in the current budget.

“Even small companies are marketing their businesses more than the entire country’s budget for marketing tourism. At least out of the $830m tourism brings to Uganda, $1.5m should be invested back,” he suggested.

Cuthbert Baguma, the executive director Uganda Tourism Board, revealed that the board is currently working towards unlocking the barriers to ensuring that Uganda harnesses the potential of tourism.

“We are working towards addressing infrastructure, improving the skills of our personnel to deliver quality services that are considered at the international standards and also embrace marketing and promotion of Ugandans regionally in order to allow them travel safely and ensure that they can do business in a competitive way,” he explained.

Fred Omach, the state minister for finance, advised Ugandans to learn to be proud of their country with always having the theme of the “Uganda we desire”.

“The International Bank Note Society has just declared Uganda’s fifty thousand shilling note the third best in the world, just because it is designed with a gorilla. So we should be proud of our country and sell it internationally,” he said.

The hammerkop, Uganda a birding paradise in Africa

Uganda a birding paradise, attracting thousands of tourists every year. Every week, we will feature a different bird in this section.Today we look at the hammerkop
The hammerkop is a medium-sized wading bird found in wetland habitats in Africa, south of the Sahara,Madagascar and coastal southwest Arabia. In Uganda, it is found along water bodies and wetlands.  It is also known as the hammerhead stork or anvil head. Its curved bill and crest at the back looks like a hammer, hence its name.  There are two sub-species, with one being smaller and darker.

Hammerkops are mostly silent, except when in groups. They hold ceremonies of up to 10 birds, in which they run circles around each other, calling loudly, raising their crests and fluttering their wings. Another behaviour is false mounting, in which one bird stands on top of another and appears to mount it.  They build huge nests near a water source. The strong nests can be made with thousands of sticks and mud to strengthen the walls and plaster the neat, tunnelled entrance. The birds decorate the outside with bright objects.

The tunnel leads to a chamber big enough for the parents and the nestlings. Hammerkops construct three to five nests per year and hold noisy house-warming parties for new nests. But often, they end up being evicted from their homes by owls and eagles. They eat fish, shrimp, insects and rodents.


CLASSIFICATION
•    Binomial name: Scopus
•    umbretta
•    Kingdom: Animalia
•    Phylum: Chordata
•    Class: Aves
•    Order: Pelecaniformes
•    Family: Scopidae
•    Genus: Scopus
Species: Umbretta

 There lives a healing ghost on a tree

By Harriet Birungi
The leaves rustle overhead and a gentle breeze can be felt. The ground is covered by lush green vegetation, the middle eaten away to expose a dark shade of brown ground from which a thick, old tree with large buttress roots (forming nooks and fissures) juts out. This is home to Nakayima’s shrine, a priestess who died over 500 years ago. It is believed that Nakayima used to cure people of ailments from this hill and when she died, her spirit remained on the hill, from where she continues to treat and bless people who pay her homage. And indeed, if the numbers of people who flock this place are anything to go by, Nakayima’s spirit lives on.

A group of people, all clad in white, move from one buttress root compartment to the other in what I am told is an act of submitting prayer requests. Each person who completes a prayer, makes dainty steps backwards with their hands feeling for the edge of the root.  Denis Semuli, an employee of Mubende Town Council, who also doubles as my guide, interjects my thoughts: “They are not supposed to turn their back to jajja.

Turning your back means you are leaving. You cannot leave until you return to the main entrance, which is the starting point for the prayers. You only return there after you have been to all the compartments.  “Once you are done praying, you are not supposed to wave goodbye. You simply walk away slowly,” Semuli explains.  He is quick to add that all the 18 compartments must be visited and at each, a different prayer said. This is because each part of the buttress root is tasked to a particular need.

He says it does not mean people come with only 18 needs, you say whatever you want, depending on the most pressing.  Like all things sacred, the Nakayima tree is guarded. Semuli says you cannot proceed unless you have declared your intentions to the caretakers. After you have made your intentions known, you are guided on how to proceed.

Worshippers at the Nakayima tree. The tree is said to grant prayers to those who pay homage to the spirit of the fallen priestess

There is an old lady wearing a headscarf, who directs believers on where to start, how to behave and what to leave at each buttress compartment. You must also reveal the clan you belong to.  For each buttress compartment you get to, you leave coffee beans and money. The money has to be in coin form. Four coffee beans are left at each prayer point.

Currency notes are a reserve for the basket at the entrance. The starting point is the wider opening of the 18 compartments, which also looks out to the road leading to the hill. Common prayer requests include riches, a marriage partner, ability to conceive, conception of twins, freedom from disease, trips abroad, employment and provision.  “There is no limit to how long one can stay.

People are free to come here anytime they want. There is no restriction on arrival time and duration. You may stay as long as you want or as long as the spirit has directed,” Semuli says.  He adds: “There are instances where people stay for weeks.

For those who choose to stay longer than a day, the green grass in front of the main tree becomes their home.  “The belief is that by the time one treks to the hill, they have chosen not to sleep in a house. Their problems are overwhelming,” he says.  “So come rain or shine,” says Semuli, “They have to brave the weather. Usually, they set fires to evoke other gods of Buganda like Kiwanuka, Kalisa, Mukasa and Kibuuka, for additional blessings.

Semuli clarifies that the tree does not reward those praying for evil to befall their enemies. “Rather, you pray for what you do not have. Thanksgiving can be expressed through leaving foods like meat, milk and fruits, which are prepared and served to people in the area and those there to pay homage,” he says.

  As I absorb all the information, my thoughts are interrupted by movement. I look on in bewilderment as the small black milk gourds at the entrance and jerrycans of milk, are carried off by hungry residents in the area. Children proceed to different buttress compartments looking for the coins left behind, while a congregation of adults and children sit in the tree shades, waiting for the buffet (thanksgiving meat) to be served.

Amid all this, Semuli chips in, cutting my thoughts short, to state that the trees surrounding the Nakayima tree are grandchildren of the dead priestess.  The Nakayima tree is up a hill that overlooks Mubende town. The hill rises 213 metres above the surrounding terrain to a peak of 1,480 metres above sea level. The hill provides an excellent view of Mubende town and the surrounding area. The tree is visited by people paying homage to matriarch Nakayima of the Bachwezi. They were believed to be demi-gods, whose dynasty ruled large parts of Uganda safaris

TRADITIONAL CULTURAL KNOWLDGE

TRADITIONALCULTURAL KNOWLDGE

Bantu house
The houses are made of a double layer of plaited bamboo filled with clay (framework with clay coating) and roofed with grass or banana thatch, although now more frequently with the ubiquitous African corrugated iron roof. The forms of the huts were like those of beehives, cupolas or squares, with the body construction being made from wood, palm leaf rips or bamboo. The walls were covered with clay, bark, or braided mats. Some tribes even painted ornaments onto the clay covering. Most of the families in Buganda  construct their house in circular form.

 Bark cloth
Before Arab traders brought cotton into the country, there had been used fibers of the banana plant or the bark of the Mutuba fig-tree .Bark cloth usage – it has its origin in Uganda and is a purely vegetable fiber. No cloth is like any other cloth – there definitely is a huge selection of the most diverse soft natural colours from brown to different colourings.

One of the finest materials from which Ugandan artists produce their handicraft is bark cloth, a fibrous but coarse material scraped off a fig tree. Lubugo as it is called in Luganda is made from the bark of a fig tree after being soaked in water for a few days before artisans hammer it out with a toothed mallet into a fabric. The fabric comes out in various browns, some of a very rich dark brown colour. Bark cloths hold a high place in many rituals in the kingdoms of Buganda and Bunyoro where princes and princesses were obliged to wear them. Yards of it, for example, are used to screen or drape the walls of shrines and god's homes. Kings wear them - particularly of a white colour - on the occasion of big commemorative ceremonies; chiefs swear by them while wearing yards of it knotted

at the shoulder, with a spear in hand. And during burials, dead bodies are wrapped up in bark cloth. In the early days   of kingdoms in Uganda, notable chiefs would be buried in wrappings of up to 200 pieces of mbugo. Today, since the revival of the kingdoms, bark cloth has regained its prestige with many Baganda making all different kinds of robes out of it, including very attractive hats that bear the Buganda insignia, coats, and long flowing robes.

Kanzus, which today are white cotton robes, are nowadays still worn by men (these are long white tunics with a collar-less neck and embroidered red thread that streams down the middle). Kanzus were modified after Arab dresses which first came to Uganda when slavers traded in ivory. The women wear wrappings made from patterned textiles (which usually are imported from Kenya or Tanzania), or a gomesi, a dress in Western style with tapered

Blacksmith
The blacksmith, whose handling the fire creates magic ideas, very often also assumes the role of a priest (medicine man) or the creator of ritual figures.

Normally, however, he was a craftsman who worked iron and who was responsible for the creation of daily articles, utensils, tools, and arms: spears, pastoral sticks, catapults (shotguns), arrowheads, knives, hoes, axes, bowls and so on.
Extraordinary masters of their craft had the honour to design and create articles for chiefs, clan chiefs and the king, with this article made from iron being embellished with special ornaments and decorations. Catapults (shotguns) and pastoral sticks were produced by the nomad tribes

 

Pottery - Gourds
There are various types of pottery in Uganda with most of the pots and earthenware saucers being made of kaolin, clay, and dark soil. Skilled potters slurp the clay and roll it in their hands as they carve products out, without using a kick wheel. Many tribes use clay to make smoking pipes, pots for carrying water and cooking purposes.

They have many gourds, and some of these gourds are used as the traditional containers for beer. When halved into two, gourds make good beer drinking bowls. Some long-necked gourds are used for collecting drinking water, while others are used for keeping salt or cow butter. Many artists in Uganda write on the gourds, or embroider them with tiny beads before sale. Huge gourds are used to carry banana wine on the occasion of funerals and weddings. As a matter of protocol, such gourds have to be draped with yellow banana leaves and gently put on top of dry banana leaves.

http://gorillaadventuresafari.com/uganda-safaris/uganda-walking-safaris.html

Low funding killing tourism in Uganda silently

Tourism is Uganda’s top foreign exchange earner bringing in $800m (sh2trillion) annually ahead of coffee at $500m (sh1.3trillion).





A gorilla in Bwindi Forest. Uganda must invest in marketing the tourism industry to grow the sector

The national budget framework 2013/14 notes that tourist spending in the country increased from $564m in 2009 to $662m in 2010, reflecting a 14% increase.

But in the 2012/2013 budget, tourism received only sh10.9b or about 0.1% of the national budget.

Alex Asiimwe, the principal policy analyst in the tourism ministry, says this mainly catered for capacity building through training, administrative pay and policy and regulations formulation.

“With such minimal allocations from the national budget, most work cannot be done,” says Asiimwe.

The Uganda Tourism Board is faced with a sh17b funding shortfall, according to a strategic sector development plan.

Asiimwe notes that lack of funds affects marketing and human skills in the sector.

Uganda spends just $25,580 on marketing its tourism potential compared to $23m by Kenya, $10m by Tanzania and $5m by Rwanda annually.

Asiimwe says there is need to improve hotels, change mindsets of the local population and build capacity.

Lillian Nsubuga, the Uganda Wildlife Authority spokesperson, says extra effort is needed to improve the sector.

“The potential in the tourism industry is high and can provide employment opportunities to the youth if developed,” she notes.

“Other industries such as fisheries and agriculture are declining, yet tourism is growing. Soon it will be the main income earner for Uganda.”

She adds that to achieve this, the Government needs to take the lead to market tourism.

Tourist arrivals increased 17% to 945,899 in 2010, from 806,658 in 2009. There was a 25% increase in the number of visitors to national parks from 151,818 in 2009 to 190,112 in 2010.

Close to 209,000 visitors visited the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre of which 95% were Ugandans.

“We need to organise trips for international tour operators and showcase what Uganda has to offer so that when tourists go to them, they are in position to recommend our country as a destination,” Nsubuga says.

Edward Semanda, a travel consultant, says the budget does not favour tourism even though it is one of the major sources of foreign exchange.

A minimal amount is allocated to the sector, which cannot ably finance the numerous tourism developmental activities.

“Most ministries rotate around tourism, but there is a lot of reluctance. For example, the tourism ministry had no idea about the Misabwa Island,” he notes.

Semanda cites lack of a national airline as another challenge facing the sector. He also notes that some of the hotels have been abandoned and used for other purposes.

Semanda adds that the poor roads delay movement, hence leaving many tourist attractions unexplored.

However, the Government is working to improve tourism infrastructure.

The national budget framework 2013/14 reveals that 40km of tourism roads will be rehabilitated and sh10b will be set aside to rehabilitate the Kasese Aerodrome to international airport standards.

Excitement as rhino is born in Nakasongola

Uhuru, the newly-born baby rhino and its mother at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. Restock. The baby rhino is part of efforts aimed at restocking the animals in national parks and boosting tourism.

Conservationists, environment and wildlife enthusiasts received the news of the birth of a new female rhino at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary with excitement at the weekend, saying it will offer an opportunity for tourists to see the ‘Big Five’ animals.

These include elephants, lions, buffaloes, rhinos and leopards. The birth of the rhino is a boost to the restocking of the animals that were declared extinct in 1983 in the country.

The management of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, where the animals stay, broke the news of the birth of the baby rhino named Uhuru, a Swahili word meaning independence.

Seven healthy babies have been born since June 2009, according to the management, bringing the current number in the sanctuary to 13. “This will not only offer an opportunity for tourists on safari to experience the Big Five in Uganda but also trek these magnificent mega herbivores,” Ms Angie Genade, the executive director of the Rhino Fund Uganda, an NGO that oversees the multiplication of the animals, said.

Ms Genade said the new baby was born to Nandi, a female rhino donated by Disney Animal Kingdom and Taleo a male rhino imported from Solio Ranch in Kenya. The baby rhino is in good health. Ms Genade said the Rhino Introduction Programme plans to release the newly-born animals back into the country’s national parks.

Poaching
“Looking at the current African Rhino Poaching statistics with average of three rhinos being poached daily, it is clear that there should always be a sustainable breeding stock in a safe environment,” she added.

Ms Genade said if the breeding stock reaches a suitable size, excess rhinos will be released into national parks but sustainable breeding stocks will remain on the sanctuary for security and genetic reasons. She said national parks must be safe from poaching and prepared to receive these rhinos. She said the organisation is expecting the two adult females to give birth in December 2013 and March 2014 respectively.

Climbing Kagulu hill of mystery

Visitors to the site pray at the “Well of life” on the hill.

ADVENTURE. Kagulu Hill in Buyende District where the founding father of Busoga’s royal house, rested after crossing to Busoga from Bunyoro on Lake Kyoga is fast becoming a must visit tourist site in Busoga.

On Saturday, May 11, I was one of the thousands who traveled to Kagulu for a hill climbing challenge organised by the Busoga Cultural Tourism Initiative. The hill is subject of many mysterious tales, a number of which I had heard before the challenge. It is said that the last ritual during the installment of Busoga’s Kyabazinga is done here- he has to climb the hill and if he fails, he is not the right Kyabazinga. A multicoloured snake with two heads is said to inhabit the hill and guard it together with a leopard.

Shiny rocks and caves
With anxiety we started our climb uphill. As we moved closer, the hill seemed to be moving farther away. It has a staircase on the southern side, built on the orders of President Idi Amin who was enchanted by the clear view it gave of neighbouring districts in Busoga, Teso and Lango regions. The staircase was one of two options of reaching the top of the hill, the other, climbing it from the northern side.

The journey to the top takes you past six small rocks which tradition says are Mukama’s wives; Kagweere, Bukolimo, Butadewo, Mpanga, Kagweese and Muwaale. The summit of the hill, 10,000 feet above sea level, is home to a number of shiny black and grey rocks and caves which are now habitats to primates. However according to folklore, these caves once offered sanctuary to early settlers in Busoga.

An aged woman Mandwa Kagulu Nabiryo, who is said to be an oracle haunted by the 45 spirits that own and patrol the hill, has a shrine at its top. There are also two wells, and a dugout canoe and an oar said to belong to Nabiryo. Etched into the rock are a man’s foot, a spear and dog which were allegedly drawn by the spirits.

A small lake at the summit attracts people from all over Busoga who believes it gives good fortune. Kagulu residents claim that the lake does not dry up no matter the intensity of the drought. A bodaboda cyclist from Kamuli who only identified himself as Mawanda, said the water is a source of blessings, but the blessings depend on “what you want and how you ask the gods to meet your needs.”
Dropping a coin into the water, he said, earns you a reward from the ancestors.

That day, there were also a number of women imploring the gods to bless and strengthen their marriages. One had brought a child for blessing, saying she “got it” from the gods last year when she came to Kagulu after a decade in a childless marriage.

While the water from the wells and lake does not look clean, this was no problem to some of the climbers who drunk it as they meditated on their wishes to the gods.

A call to preserve heritage
Prince William Nadiope IV of Bugabula, where the hill lies, who had visited the hill a week earlier to “clear” way for the climbers by telling the spirits on the hill that friendly visitors were coming, asked his subjects to showcase their clans and totems. “Many people don’t know their totems and clans,” he said, and yet they “explain the depth of their culture.” The prince, who had travelled to Malaysia when the challenge was held, asked cultural leaders to create awareness of the totems so young people can easily trace their ancestral roots.

At the foot of the hill are signs of quarrying activity which run counter to the Kingdom’s strategy to promote the hill as a tourist attraction. Sulaiman Balyejjusa, the area Member of Parliament, asked Kagulu residents to protect the site.
“This is a good chance we should not let go. Our fish has reduced; we no longer keep as many cows like our ancestors used to. Please take advantage of this initiative to address poverty,” he said.

Around Uganda in eight days

Magnificent scene at Sipi Falls, many of us dream of exploring Uganda’s beauty, but never has enough time and money. However, Sam Bwaya, a father of three, dared to go out for an eight-day trip to eastern and western Uganda. He told his story to Carol Natukunda.

 I have two boys and a girl. My eldest child studies in Canada, my second-born is in S4 at Seeta High School, while my last born and only daughter is in P6 at Taibah Junior. We had been talking about a trip for two years.

 My idea was to help the children discover the things they study in class, but also get a feel of the life outside Kampala.  I would go with my two younger children aged 16 and 11. Their mum stayed behind because she has a back problem.

 Day 1

On March 26, 2013, we set off from home in Lwezza-Kajjansi at about 11:00am. We agreed that we would sleep wherever we would find ourselves and whenever we got tired. I was the driver. I told my children to stop me if they saw anything interesting. Our first stop was Ssezibwa falls, about 40km from Kampala.

 There is a picnic place. We enjoyed every bit of it, before moving to Jinja. We should have stopped at the Source of the Nile, but we had been there a few days before. So we drove to Kakira Sugar Works.

 We toured the plantation and proceeded further east. We reached Tororo at 5:45pm and went straight to the Malaba border with Kenya. My children were excited to be in two countries at the same time. We drove back to Tororo town to find a hotel to sleep.

Day 2

There is an old Rotarian friend, Bernadette Olowo who, after knowing about our trip, was more than glad to host us. We stopped by her home in Amurwo village in Tororo.

 My children were delighted to see different food crops grown in abundance in the gardens. Having grown up in the city, they had never seen things harvested straight from the garden. After breakfast, we headed to Butaleja district. Most farmers had expansive rice fields.

 The big surprise for the children was how River Manafwa fed the rice fields. We eventually got to Mbale town at around 1:00pm. We bought refreshments from a supermarket and headed for the Rocky Mount Wanale (also called Nkokonjeru) near Mbale town.

 Time was running out so we came down quickly, bought some ‘take-away’ and headed to Kapchorwa. On our way, we visited Semei Kakungulu’s resting home (Gangama hill), near Mbale College. 

 We got to Kapchorwa at about 3:00pm and went to Sipi Falls. It had rained that day. We fell down several times as we walked towards the falls. 

 But it was exciting. Initially, our guide said my daughter would not manage, since the path was bad. But she even got there before us. We were sweating although it was chilly. 

 It was 6:00pm when we eventually got back to the car. We were so tired by this time. But I insisted we needed to sleep in Kumi to be able to see as much as possible. We got to Kumi at 11:00pm.

Day 3

By 8:00am, we were on our way to see the ancient Nyero Rock paintings. The surprising bit here was that the locals do not see this as a tourist attraction.

 In fact, some of them use it as a place to dry their sorghum harvested from the gardens.  The Nyero paintings depict the story of the struggles of Iteso people and their challenges.

 From Nyero, we drove via Ngora to get to Soroti.  We were in Soroti town at 4:00pm and continued to Lira.

 Day 4

We got to Lira at 8:00pm and went to former President Milton Obote’s home, and the famous Aboke Girls School where over 100 girls were abducted by rebel leader Joseph Kony.

 What I wanted was for my children to know their history from a practical point of view. We headed to Nebbi, then Arua to sleep. We were excited to see the famous shea butter tree on the Nebbi-Arua road. It is sad it is threatened by extinction because of charcoal burning.

Day 5

On December 30, we were up by 6:00am. We drove to Murchison National Park where we saw so giraffes, Kobs, antelopes, buffaloes and baboons, among others.

 It took us three hours. We crossed to see the water falls, before proceeding to Masindi, where we arrived at around 4:00pm, took refreshments and got to Hoima at 6:00pm. We wanted to go and see chimpanzees in Kibale National Park in Fort Portal.

 We faced problems with the locals who interpreted distances differently. Where it was actually 100 miles, we were told 100km. Anyway, we reached Fort Portal at 1:00am. It was exhausting!

 Day 6

We awoke at 9:00am. The hotel we stayed in is owned by an old friend I had not seen in years. He got us a tour to Amabere ga Nyina Mwiru, Semliki National Park and later the Batwa Community and then chimpanzee tracking the following day.

 I had prepared my children in advance so that they are non-judgmental of the Batwa. They interacted with them like ordinary people and even see the hot springs

 

 Day 7

At Kibale National Park, we saw all kinds of plants, butterflies, worms and caterpillars. We walked for one hour before we heard the sound of chimpanzees.

 Some of the trees in the forest must be 100 years old. Our guide told us there are over 1,000 chimpanzees in this park. Later, as we drove out of Fort Portal to Kisoro district, we saw the palace of Omukama Oyo Nyimba, the Hima Cement factory, the Equator and Queen Elizabeth National Park.

 We got to Kabale at about 9:30pm. My children were fast asleep. They insisted we sleep in Kabale, but I knew we would be tempted to drive back to Kampala in the morning. You have to push a little harder to achieve something. I wanted them to be able to see the steep slopes of Kigezi. It was not until 11:30pm that we got to chilly Kisoro.

 Day 8

The next morning, we could see clearly Mount Muhabura from a distance. It looked so beautiful. The cold in Kisoro made our teeth chatter.

The hills were beautiful, but we realized many of them are bare from over cultivation. We saw many sacks of potatoes as we drove back to Kampala. This was great experience and as i save more money next time i will take them to enjoy the unforgettable mountain gorilla trekking experience!

LAKE VICTORIA

LAKE VICTORIA

Lake Victoria is one of the fresh water lake which is found in east Africa specifically Uganda. It was named after her majesty the queen of Britain (UK) by John Hanning Speke. Before it was known as “NALUMBALE” and covers a surface area of 68,800 square kilometers which makes it the largest lake in the African region and the second largest Lake in the whole world. Lake Victoria lies in the tropics and receives its water from thousands of small streams and Kagera River is the biggest river which pours its water in Lake Victoria.

In the history of Buganda, Lake Victoria was the first bank of Buganda where people like peasants after working for the royal families were granted authority from the king to go and pick money from the lake cowry-shells (ensimbi eganda) .This Lake is gifted with many beautiful physical features which have attracted many tourists from across the entire world. Some of the physical features include islands like: dolwe, buggala ,koome, buvuma and many others. Other beautiful features include beaches, geo, cliffs, bay, head lands, ever green forests and many more. The abundant bird species plus the modifying climent of Uganda that is rainfall and sunshine which has made Uganda a pearl of Africa.

Lake Victoria occupies  a shallow depression in Africa and maximum depth of 84 meters which enables the boats and the ferries to cruise  most of the activities done on this lake is swimming, boat cruising  spot fishing , beach activities and many more, which needs you to experience its wonder fullness

Uganda blessed with new born gorilla

Busingye Mountain gorilla group has been blessed with a new born. The gorilla, whose mother is Bakunda, is now one week old.

The group, which is habituated from the southern sector of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, had seven members and the new born had excited rangers who are eagerly waiting for its naming ceremony. Interestingly these primates have names similar to that of humans.

“More members translate into more work and visitors and increased tourism revenue. So we are happy at every new born but Bakunda’s excites us since the mother is loved like her name Bakunda (loved),” a ranger said. 

Uganda has been blessed with the new born and with improved services of the tourism sector, we are hoping for the best for Uganda,” the ranger added. 

Conscious Enzuma, the Bwindi Park manager, confirmed the news of the new born when called on phone Thursday but did not give details as he was busy.

“We have the new born from the Busigye gorilla group which is now one week old but cannot get you details now because I am busy,” he said

But Lillian Nsubuga, the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) spokesperson, said that the baby gorilla gives rare opportunity to visitors/ tourists who will be visiting this time round.

“But it is difficult to see in details and be able to take its photo since because both the mother and the silverback (group leader) are too protective and could even be violent if one tries to get closer to them,” she added.

She said the baby gorilla cannot move on its own and is carried by the mother under its stomach so protectively.

When asked about the sex of the new born, she said it is always very difficult to ascertain until later.

Nsubuga said Busigye is a breakaway group from Kahungye and is one of the habituated groups at Bwindi.

She also noted that the population of mountain gorillas is positively growing at Bwindi.  She said the population rose from 320 in 2002, to 340 in 2006 and to 400 in the census done in 2011. She said in 2008 they were blessed with two pairs of twins from one of the protected gorilla families.