The Weekly Observer (Kampala)
9 July 2008
opinion
The Czech Republic boasts of an extraordinarily high number of cultural monuments. More than 2,000 preserved castles and chateaux are open to the public (more per square mile than any other country in the world). Partly because of this, the Czech Republic has the largest number of tourists per capita, with Prague being the most visited city in the world. Even countries such as Mozambique have interesting city tours for tourists within Maputo, which can last hours as the guides show off historical statues, fortresses, and other monuments. But for Uganda, tourism for many years has been centred outside the capital, Kampala.
With our growing number of statues in the city, could Kampala be the next big thing in tourism?
SIMON MUSASIZI examines their artistic impression.
CHOGM (Parliament)
Many of us may not live to see another Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Uganda. It takes 108 years for all the 53 countries to host the coveted event before Uganda can host it again. But there is something that will keep the memory of November 2007 fresh for those who will come after us. The monument of a man, his wife and child lifting the CHOGM flag was erected outside the Parliament of Uganda by Professor George Kyeyune of Makerere University.
Pyramid Casino
(Yusuf Lule Road)
It may have taken the ancient Egyptians several years and a lot of manpower to build their pyramids, but the newly built Pyramid Casino on Yusuf Lule Road does justice to parading the Egyptian architectural work.
Here is where Greek mythology meets eastern creativity.
At the entrance are striking Egyptian sphinxes, which according to Chuck Swift, the casino's Director of Marketing, were made out of cement and wire. But the Israeli grove stone coatings make you think they were imported.
"We wanted unusual ambience for our guests," Chuck told The Weekly Observer.
Crested Crane (British High Commission)
The government of Uganda commissioned the statue as the gift from the government and people of Uganda to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in commemoration of her second visit to Uganda last year. The first was in 1954 to open the dam.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa, the statue symbolizes the enshrinement of the historic and friendly bonds between Britain and Uganda.
The statue was cast from an original sculpture by Peter Oloya. The task of turning it into a bronze was done by Ruwenzori Sculpture Foundation comprising of Patricia Waniala, Emmanuel Basaza and David Bwambale.
The Ruwenzori Foundation is building a centre in Kasese which in addition to housing a state of the art foundry, using copper mined locally and drawing on the tradition of metalwork in the area, will have facilities for performances and workshops and will be able to house visiting artists from around the world.
The foundation made two castings and the first casting, according to the British High Commission, is in a prime location in the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
Adam Mutaasa Kidibye (Mutaasa Kafeero Plaza)
In life, we always look forward to a moment when we will pay back our parents' love. That perhaps explains why businessman Mutaasa Kafeero preserved his grandfather, Adam Mutaasa Kidibye's memory in a statue outside the busy arcade.
Mutaasa describes his grandfather as "a hero of both Buganda and Islam - an exemplary and a great grandfather." Never mind that the statue raised criticism among the Muslim community because Islam does not believe in photographs and statues. And for those who want to find out more about this family, they have a book titled, 'Who is Mutaasa and Kafeero.'
Freedom (UNDP)
This statue of a naked woman with her raised arms is situated at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) offices on Hannington Road. But it is one of the few statues where you don't risk your camera taking photographs.
The statue, which stands for freedom, is situated in a 'restricted area' I hear. The artist is a female sculptor identified as Rose Kirumira a Senior lecturer at Makerere University.
Assorted animals (Garden City, Yusuf Lule Road)
If you haven't visited a national park, game reserve or zoo, then you do not need to worry. You can visit one of Kampala's biggest shopping centres and watch the sculptures of some of the animals you watch on TV. But be mindful if you are going to take photographs. I narrowly survived 'arrest' taking pictures, but minutes later, a couple of Whites stopped to snap away at the statue and no one raised a finger. When I questioned the guards' discretion, the answer was infuriating: "Those are tourists!" That makes black me...what? Ah, Ugandans!
Michael Kawalya Kaggwa (Amber House)
He stands on one of Kampala's main streets, Kampala Road. But because of the traffic, he sometimes goes unnoticed.
The statue outside Amber House was put up in memory of Sir Apollo Kaggwa's son, Michael Kawalya Kaggwa who was Katikkiro (Prime Minister) of Buganda Kingdom between 1945 and 1950.
In 1945, Kawalya requested for electricity and purified water in Uganda through colonial secretary, Croach Jones. He was widely ridiculed by his natives: "Omusajja ono musiru tategeera. Tulina emimuli, amasanyalaze gaaki, tulina enzizi, amazzi agemidumo gaaki (The man is silly; we have torches, who needs electricity? We have springs, who needs piped water!)
When Owen Falls Dam was opened in 1954 in Jinja, the economy began to thrive. But Kawalya, born on January 8, 1898, did not live long enough to see the benefits of his sweat. He died 13 years later on December 22, 1967.
In 2003, Ssekabaka Mutesa I Foundation (SMF) in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development erected the statue in memory of his vision.
It was designed by Makerere University's Richard Kabiito.
Sarah Namuddu, who has for the last four years sold airtime near the statue, voluntarily offers information to tourists who visit it.
The resident of Bwaise says tourists occasionally jump over the short barriers to read the words on the statue and take photographs.
John the Baptist (Christ the King Church)
Every Catholic Church seems to have a sculpture outside, but the one outside Christ the King Church in the city centre stands out. Set up in 1975, it depicts St. John the Baptist, the man who baptised Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.
Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi (Bulange)
The imposing statue is at the entrance of the Buganda Kingdom seat at Bulange Mengo. It was set up in commemoration of the coronation of Ssabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II on July 31, 1993 - reviving a kingdom that had been abolished for 27 years. Mutebi II is 36th king of Buganda.
The sculptors were Prof. Francis Nnaggenda assisted by Dr. George Kyeyune, Lillian Nabulime and Rose Kirumira. The base was done by Roko Construction under the facilitation of Owek. Godfrey Kaaya Kavuma.
Sir Edward Mutesa II (Grand Imperial Roundabout)
This raised anxiety. It was erected around the time of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Uganda and remained wrapped for sometime before it was unveiled.
Sir Edward Mutesa II was the first president of Uganda (1963 -1966). The statue, coming 38 years after Mutesa's death in exile, was erected by the Ssekabaka Mutesa I Foundation (SMF) adjacent to the Independence Monument.
According to Mike Byaruhanga, a boda boda cyclist who was contracted by Prince Joseph Ssimbwa (the Secretary General SMF) to guard the monument, there was a lot of drama prior to its unveiling.
"Before Ssimba told us to guard it, there were people who came during broad daylight and removed the statue's plaque. It was later put back. Then [Gordon] Wavamunno's people came along with Police and removed it. They said the plaque had many names of people who contributed to its creation, but without Wavamunno's," Byaruhanga said.
That aside, some people are not happy that the monument's face is far from Mutesa's likeness.
"I never saw him (Mutesa) but elderly people who saw him say that is not what he looked like," said Byaruhanga's colleague who preferred anonymity.
Independence monument (Outside Sheraton Kampala Hotel)
This is one monument that I think should be relocated. Every year, we celebrate Uganda's independence but people instead march to Kololo Airstrip. Perhaps, it is where this monument should have been erected.
Instead, the woman in bondage carrying a newborn baby stands helplessly at the Sheraton Hotel. She was only remembered last year during CHOGM when she received a facelift, which was done by Malaysian architects, Mark Law and Benjamin Julaihi Khan. It was redesigned with pictures depicting Uganda's history from the colonial days to the present time.
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