Central Region

Kasubi Tombs 

Kasubi Tombs is a UNESCO world heritage site on the hill of Kasubi in Kampala Uganda. It is where the Kabakas of Buganda and other Buganda Royals families are put to rest, there are four Kabakas that were buried there including Kabaka Mutesa ll, Kabaka Mwanga, Daudi Chwa ll and Edward Mutes all and father to the current Kabaka Ronald Mutebi ll of Buganda.  

Kasubi Tombs was the palace for Kabaka Mutesa l, after his death he was buried there, so all other kings also decided to be buried there instead of their own palaces. It is a historical and cultural site that is visited often in cultural tours in Uganda. It is a major site where the tradition and culture of Buganda Kingdom have been preserved like the drums, back cloth, shields, spears among others.

Kasubi tombs’ main tomb building is known as “Mazibu- Azaala- Empanga” which is all built in architectural work and all the four Kabakas of Buganda lie there. The site is the major spiritual Centre for the Buganda Kingdom and most active religious place in the Kingdom.

Kasubi tombs were attacked and burnt down in 2010 by unknown people but now their construction is in their final stages. This is done by the Engeye clan (colobus monkey) who volunteered to thatch the tombs and up to now they are the ones in charge of thatching while the Ngo clan (leopard) is responsible for decorating the grass thatched houses. History has it that the widows of the kings are not allowed at the site because they cause linkaging.  

Kabaka’s Palace (Olubiri)

Kabaka’s palace in Mengo is the official residence of the Kabaka of Buganda. In Buganda it was the tradition for a king to construct his palace in any place he wanted. So this palace was constructed by Sekabaka Mwanga ll in 1885, after he captured power in 1884 he had his palace in Masaja but later admired the Nkaawo hill where the Nvubu (hippopotamus) kept their grinding stones (Emmengo) for grinding herbal medicine. He later constructed a new palace at Nkaawo and the grinding stones were shifted, named it Mengo- deriving its name from the grinding stones.

After the palace was well built, it caught fire and destroyed all the documents of the kingdom which scared the king and ran away to live with the Roman missionaries in Nalukolongo. He later left the Missionaries and went to stay with Mukasa who was the katikiro to his father Sekabaka Mutesa ll where lightning struck and destroyed everything in Mukasa’s house. The king was also forced to run away from Mukasa’s house to Munyonyo where he put up another palace on Mulungu hill close to Lake Victoria.

The king’s palace also consists of over four gates and each gate with its name and meaning, the main gate is wankaaci which is used by the king, Queen and the prime minister katikiro only, another one is kalala next to wankaci where the king is expected to find and marry a beautiful wife, then Nalongo where the king’s gifts are brought in from and sabagabo gate in which the king goes through with his personal issues and nobody should know the kabaka is moving out.

The king’s palace is a one tourist destination that should not be left out while on a city tour around Kampala, with other eye catching sights like the fireplace also referred to as “Ekyooto” at the entrance which lightens all day and night without going off. In Buganda kingdom it means that the king is still on the throne and ruling, so the fire lights and only stops when the king dies and is lightened by the one Nakisinge who is responsible for it. There is also the torture chambers of Idi Amin where he used to torture people until death and it a tourist attraction to people who take a tour in the palace.

Just opposite the Kabaka’s palace, there is Bulange also referred to as the parliament of Buganda which should not also be missed.

Nagalabi Coronation site

Nagalabi is a place where all kings of Buganda kingdom are crowned from for the past years. The coronation process at Nagalabi was started by kabaka Kintu who killed his brother Bemba and declared himself a king at Nagalabi coronation site, since then in history it’s the coronation site for all Buganda kings including kabaka Ronald Mutebi ll was also crowned from here in 1993 in the same place where his father kabaka Edward mutesa ll was crowned.

The site is located on Buddo hill in Busiro County along Masaka road for about 30 minutes from Kampala to Buddo and it is an important tourist destination while on a cultural tour.

Also learn about the house where the king stays 3 days to his coronation and a hug old tree that was inform of a house where back then acted as court and all disciplinary departments would sit and punish law breakers, the story telling, hand craft making, entertainment from kiganda dances which all make the trip Nagalabi coronation site amazing.