Christopher Mason
6 November 2007
Kampala — IN line with hopes that Chogm will provide Uganda's tourism industry a long-term boost, the government confirmed last week that Shs400 million has been committed to giving Kampala's cultural sites a facelift ahead of the November 23-25 meeting.
With less than a month to go before Chogm, Daily Monitor visited each of the high-profile sites to gauge the progress made and also to look for tangible evidence of Shs400 million in work being done.
Today, Daily Monitor begins with a visit to the Kasubi Tombs. In the coming days, each of the region's major tourist attractions will be surveyed.
A visit to the Kasubi Tombs opens a window into 125 years of Buganda Kingdom. Four Buganda kings, dating back to Kabaka Mutesa, are buried here, and each has a fascinating story to tell.
Kabaka Mutesa was the first king to encounter Europeans on a significant scale.
His son, Kabaka Mwanga put up a fierce resistance to Christianity (manifested today through the Martyrs Shrine). His successor, Daudi Chwa II, was a child king who studied in Europe. Edward Mutesa II served as the first president of Uganda.
With such a rich history, the site is invaluable to both tourists and Ugandans. As such, it has been listed among those to receive Chogm funds to boost its image. The site has also been listed among Unesco cultural site.
On a recent visit, much landscaping was being done, and one of the entrance buildings was being re-thatched. Inside the tombs, the bark cloth that covers most surfaces has also been replaced.
But the site remains understated. Inside the tomb, a table and chair donated by Queen Victoria and delivered by famous explorer Henry Morton Stanley are stacked inconspicuously in a corner.
Putting them on display more openly would provide an opportunity for the site's knowledgeable guides to discuss the issue of European influence, which so deeply affected each of the four kings buried at the tomb.
Likewise, a small room is used to sell crafts, but most of the tables sat empty. Many of the guides also make crafts that are for sale. One guide said they do not expect Chogm delegates to provide much of a boost.
"They won't have time," he said. "They will just rush, rush, rush."
This, unfortunately may be true. The hope of a tourism boost lies in whether or not visiting delegates will have time, between meetings during their short stay, to visit tourist sites.
The Kasubi Tombs, along with the Martyrs Shrine, may be most vulnerable to this. The tombs, though only a few kilometres away from the city centre, are located particularly close to Chogm routes, and public transportation to them can be cumbersome, especially to those who are unfamiliar with Kampala's matatus.
That issue aside, the tombs will benefit from the money being spent. Workers have two weeks to complete landscaping and other works that will improve the site's aesthetics.
The question then is, with a spruced-up look, will Chogm delegates have time to see the site?
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