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Uganda: King Mswati Visits Jinja
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New Vision (Kampala)
7 July 2008
Posted to the web 8 July 2008
Barbara Among
Kampala
King Mswati III of the Kingdom of Swaziland was amazed by the story of the spirits believed to be in River Nile when he visited Bujagali Falls in Jinja district yesterday.
He occasionally smiled at the answers the labour state minister, Lukia Nakadama, and a tour guide gave him about the story behind the name of the falls.
For many generations, Bujagali has been a sacred site for the Basoga in eastern Uganda.
Located in Budondo, residents believe that the falls are the haven for the Budhagali spirit, which protects the community against dangers, calamity and enemies of the Busoga Kingdom.
The spirit is embodied in the 39th caretaker of the falls, Dhadha Nabamba Budhagali, who lives a few kilometres from the falls.
Budhagali, in his 80s, is a native doctor, who claims he sails on the falls while seated on a backcloth.
Residents also claimed that he walks over the water.
Although he arrived a few minutes after the water rafters had completed their game at Bujagali Falls, King Mswati III was treated to a more thrilling swim.
Two young men, whose wrists were full of bracelets made out of beads and rubber-bands dived into the water with jerrycans and swam in the rapids.
The Swazi leader, whose country earns millions of dollars from tourist attraction, was told that a few tourists visit Bujagali Falls and the source of River Nile.
He took several photographs with his family at the two tourist sites. Bujagali Falls lies 10kms below Lake Victoria, which is Africa's largest lake and the source of the River Nile. The falls are commonly known as East Africa's centre for adventure.
King Mswati III is here to discuss new areas of cooperation, particularly in the fields of trade and HIV/AIDS.
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He will hold meetings with several government officials before he return on Thursday.
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