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Prove all things..(1 Thesa.5:21)
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Like the Bereans, check whether things are so(Acts 17:11)
Wednesday 22 July 2020
The refusal by President Museveni to lift lockdown on churches is proof that he is worshipper of BACHWEZI DEVILS instead of the Lord Jesus Christ: Museveni rejects pleas by Evangelical pastors to open places of worship
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerguba’s tweet about President Yoweri Museveni being the last king of Nkore kingdom
Although President Museveni has
been portrayed as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, the truth is that he has
no love and fear for the Lord Jesus Christ. Museveni’s refusal to open places
of worship is indicative of the fact that he has no fear for God and has no
respect for born again Christians. Presidents Kagame, Kenyata, Magufuli and
many other African presidents have lifted lockdowns on places of worship but
Museveni has adamantly failed to heed to calls from pastors to open places of
worship. This shows that his spirit is completely dead. He does not understand that
human beings are composed of a body, soul and spirit(1 Thessalonians 5:23).
The church has mandate over the
soul and spirit which are the most essential aspects of the human being. He is
hiding under the so called scientists to maintain lockdown on churches. He
claims to love Ugandans so much yet his LDUs(Interahamwe) have killed people
and maimed others under his silent watch. The so called scientists from the
World Bank have deceived him that development is realized through Greed(neo-liberalism).
No wonder, thousands of people have been evicted from their lands by his hench
men under his silent watch.
Meseveni has been deceived that
he is a demi-god like the bachezi. Legend or myth has it that the bachezi never
died but simply disappeared. This lie from the devil has led Museveni to think
that he is last ruler ofUganda and no
one can defeat him or kill him. Like the Bachezi, he believes he will just disappear
and not die. He has reached the level of
Gadaffi. He does not believe that anyone will succeed him.
He
crowned himself the Sabagabe of Ankole. This means that he is greater than all
the past Ankole kings(Bagabe) who are definitely related to the Bachezi. Museveni
is a worshiper of the Bachezi devils and his Son Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba
has revealed it to us through his night tweets. Since Museveni is the last king
of Ankole and Ankole kings used to worship the Bachezi demi-gods. This then
means that he is worshipper of the Bachezi devils or ancestral spirits and not
the Lord Jesus Christ. The President of Uganda really needs prayers because he
has indeed gone on a head on collisson course with the Lord Jesus Christ, who
will smash him if he does not repent.
MUST READ:
Pastors launch campaign against continuous
church closure :Pastor Wilson Bugembe asks Museveni to consider reopening
churches
When Uganda Pentecostal Ecumenists and
Non-Ecumenicists disagree over the opening of churches: Bishop Kiganda, City
Pastors wear Sackcloths in Protest’ Over Closed Churches: Don’t use COVID to
settle scores -Bishop Lwere warns Pastors protesting Closure of Churches
When
Pentecostal pastors in Uganda fornicate with a Dictator : Pastor Kayanja
compares President Museveni to King David (a man after God’s own heart(1 Sam.
13:14) ) at the 2016 swearing in.
Museveni blames believers for evils in Uganda: Yes, the country has
many Christian hypocrites but also backslidden Christians (like President
Museveni himself )who are mere spiritual politicians.
The main hut that is now a shrine at Bigobyamugyenyi site. The site is
said to have been the capital of the Chwezi Dynasty. PHOTO BY MARTINS E.
SSEKWEYAMA
‘My Father Is Last King Of Ankole’- Lt. Gen. Muhoozi
If you have
been wondering why Ankole kingdom does not have a crowned Omugabe, then wonder
no more, because they already have a king, called President Yoweri Kaguta
Museveni.
The revelation
was made on Tuesday by First Son Lt. Gen.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who tweeted on Tuesday that his father is one of the only two remaining Bachwezi in Uganda and is
the Last King of Ankole.
Gen. Muhoozi
tweeted thus; “The last two ‘Bachwezi’ in history! My father and the last king
of Nkore! Mzee Museveni and Afande Rubareza in 1981. Obote should have
surrendered immediately! Nobody on earth can defeat ‘Bachwezi’.
However,
what remains unclear is whether Gen. Muhoozi is not a ‘Mu Chwezi’ himself,
simply because he claims his father Mzee Museveni is a Mu Chwezi which makes
him (Muhoozi) a Mu Chwezi, since he is from the same roots as his father.
However, according
to history, the last king of Ankole kingdom was Ntare VI (January 10, 1940 –
October 14, 2011). Born John Patrick Barigye, was the Omugabe of Nkore or
Ankole and the 27th of the Bahinda dynasty, although he did not rule over
Ankole, since President Museveni was already ruling.
Barigye
graduated in economics from Cambridge University in England in 1962 and was later appointed Uganda’s ambassador to
West Germany and the Vatican. Idi Amin, then president of Uganda, gave Barigye
a job as an ambassador after Barigye and Barigye’s father publicly asked Amin
not to restore the monarchy.
His children
are: Alexander Kahaya Siinga, Emmanuel Ruhinda Siima, Fredrick Jojo Wamala
Namara, Charles Rwebishengye Aryaija Ntomi ya Rugazinda (Crown Prince) and
Caroline Keza Korwizi, Olivia, Toyah and Yvonne.
Inside Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba Late Night Tweets and ‘Bachwezi’ Tales
Senior Presidential Advisor in charge of Special Operations, Lt Gen
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has spoken out on his late night tweets which have
sparked speculation on social media.
Muhoozi recently tweeted about the “Bachwezi” who are understood as
the founders of the ancient empire of Kitara which included areas of
Uganda; northern Tanzania, western Kenya and Eastern Congo.
“The last two ‘Bachwezi’ in history! My father and the last king of
Nkore! Mzee Museveni and Afande Rubereza in 1981. Obote should have
surrendered immediately! Nobody on earth can defeat ‘Bachwezi’”, said
Muhoozi.
Many Ugandans know Bachwezi as people who possessed spiritual powers
and were therefore accorded the status of demi- gods and worshipped by
some local people at the time.
He also tweeted about his spirituality, saying, “But a very good
Christian friend of mine taught me that they are all reflections of the
Greatest Fighter of all time…Jesus Christ!”
Considering that some of his Tweets hit the wire after midnight, some
media enthusiasts speculated that something had gone wrong with
Muhoozi.
Prominent researcher, Timothy Kalyegira Tweeted: “I’m starting to get
quite concerned about Lt. Gen. Kainerugaba’s tweet tone. That’s not the
thoughtful, solid person I remember from years ago. Even if somebody is
tweeting on his behalf, the fact that the tweets are not retracted
means it’s his thinking.”
Muhoozi speaks out
Contacted this Friday morning, a jovial Gen Muhoozi expressed
surprise that Ugandans were yet to appreciate the context of his tweets.
“For me ‘Bachwezi’ in military terms means geniuses,” said Muhoozi in an exclusive interview with ChimpReports.
“A Muchwezi is a person who displays extraordinary talents of mind and temperament,” he added. “Bachwezi can be in any profession and from any country on earth. I
consider Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan and Michael Jackson to have all
been Bachwezi.”
The former Special Forces Commander gave the example of Carl von
Clausewitz (1780-1831), one of the greatest military theorists in
history who said of military genius, “… what we must do is survey all
those gifts of mind and temperament that in combination bear on military
activity, taken together constitute the essence of military genius.”
He also cited Carl von Clausewitz who described a military genius as
“That superb display of divination, the sovereign eye of genius…”
Asked why he Tweets late in the night, Muhoozi said social media platforms don’t have a specific time for posting content.
He gave the example of many world leaders and influential figures who post on their social media platforms “even at 5:00am.”
Pressed to explain why he’s Tweeting about the Bachwezi at a time
Uganda is grappling with a COVID-19 crisis, Muhoozi challenged us to
check his Twitter handle, saying, “for the last two months, I’ve been
retweeting and sharing content about government efforts in combating
Coronavirus.”
We found that Muhoozi retweeted five posts about COVID-19 between April 24 – May 9.
Some of the posts were presidential speeches and statements of
government officials and also on his birthday when he said, “I also want
to remember all the brave health care workers that continue keeping us
safe during this COVID-19 pandemic. Godbless you all!”
Muhoozi has in recent weeks been active in engaging followers on his
Twitter handle and sharing content on current affairs regarding global
economics, security and politics.
His increased use of social media is a great departure from the calm
demeanor and generally withdrawn figure from the public eye.
He recently opened Facebook (Muhoozi Kainerugaba) and Instagram
(mkainerugaba) pages in what was seen as a move to deepen social
engagement with fans, attracting considerable public attention.
The main hut that is now a shrine at Bigobyamugyenyi site. The site is
said to have been the capital of the Chwezi Dynasty. PHOTO BY MARTINS E.
SSEKWEYAMA
By MOSES MUWULYA & MARTINS E. SSEKWEYAMA
Most
Ugandans who have gone through the country’s education system may have
studied about Bigobyamugyenyi in their primary school. The site,
believed to have been the capital of the Chwezi Dynasty, is found in
Kabeho village, Ntuusi Sub-county in Sembabule District a 50km ride on a
dusty and bumpy road from Sembabule Town Council.
At the site you
are received by Tourism Police personnel at their semi-permanent
structure police post that stands at an angle which enables them to see
everybody who accesses the site.
The two policemen were deployed to
register all visitors and ensure that the regalia and structures
enclosed in the traditional shrines remain intact.
Ibrahim Batuume, a tour-guide at the site, is always on standby to take visitors around the home of the bachwezi who were believed to possess supernatural powers that would enable them disappear mysteriously.
Visitor etiquette
History
has it that the dynasty reigned at Bigobyamugyenyi between 1000-1500AD.
Artifacts of ancient sharp-pointed spears and huge curved rocks at the
entrance form the ruins of the cultural site. Practices such as paying
homage to the gods while not compulsory, are expected of visitor. “One
is required to humble themselves to pay respect to the Chwezi ancestral
gods. They can even kneel and pray to the spirits for intercession,”
says Batuume.
At the prayer place are baskets where people put their
monetary offertory to the gods as an appeasement to guarantee safety of
the visitors while inside the cultural site comprised of several
traditional shrines.
Mysterious place
The
archeological site enclosed in a radius of about 4square miles piece of
land has several caves and very deep ditches and forts, that all have
various historical significances as told by the caretakers.
A narrow
path leads one through various forts and caves, into a thick wilderness
said to be habitat for wild animals. Therein also lies a mystical stream
named after ‘Kabeho’ village; where soothsayer healers cleanse their
clients (patients).
Some of the remaining stones at what is believed to have been the meeting place of the Bachwezi. PHOTO BY MARTINS E. SSEKWEYAMA
These healers are believed to be great grand-descendants of the
Bachwezi and command a lot of respect from their regular clients. Close
to the stream is an elevated magnificent hill upon which is a big
grass-thatched hut that has survived for several decades.
The hut is surrounded by several other huts where people that visit the shrines to worship the gods can spend nights.
Inside
the hut are decorated mats, skins and hides, calabashes, thick bamboo
pipes, folds of beads, several pottery pieces in different shapes,
dozens of spears stand among other items that are all preserved as
ancient artifacts of the Bachwezi rulers.
Batuume explains that the
calabashes are always filled with milk as an offering to the gods. “The
milk is normally brought by worshipers who come here to intercede and
ask for luck from the gods,” he says.
Behind this huge hut is a kraal, a symbol to show that the Chwezi were predominant cattle keepers. However, the kraal is empty.
“When
someone, especially the caretakers, is possessed by spirits, it is
believed that he can be able to see the cattle in the kraal, although
others cannot see,” Batuume narrates.
Seat of royalty
In
the site are several big stones shaped like chairs ‘Royal throne’, upon
which the Bachwezi rulers are said to have sat to conduct meetings with
their chiefs before issuing instructions.
In the same area, there
is a well maintained water pool, which according to Prince Frank
Nzhuzuure Mkungu, was the lavatory facility of the late kings and it is
also where they derived authority to reign over their subjects. Mkungu
who claims to be 37th heir of the Chwezi dynasty in the lineage of
Wamala Nanshagwawo in the Bweera chiefdom, says the same supernatural
powers are still possessed by the descendants.
Among other unique relics is a thick wall-like structure that is
made out of stones. This Mkungu says was the perimeter wall that had
been erected around the palace of their kings. “This palace was two
miles wide and was later occupied by some Buganda kings that included
the late Mwanga II who visited Bigobyamugenyi 700 years ago,” he says.
It
is believed that upon tenancy at Bigobyamugenyi palace, the ancient
Buganda kings; Kayima, Nakibinge and Ssemakookiro established their
military base that helped in regaining Mawogola from Bunyoro Kingdom and
defeating it in a battle Bunyoro had waged against Kkooki chiefdom.
An unexploited gem
The
mysticism around Bigobyamugenyi is what gives the site its lifeline as
visitors after its traditional significance, keep it relevant.
However,
Mkungu reveals its tourism potential has not been boosted although a
board of trustees responsible for preserving their cultural heritage was
set up.
Emmanuel Kamihingo, Ntuusi Sub-county chairperson, says upon
their strong demand to government to promote the site, in 2013 the
Tourism ministry with support from the United Nations Education
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) through its campaign of
rehabilitation of major World heritage cultural sites, partly renovated
Bigobyamugenyi site, but it was just a simple refurbishment.
“They
hired personnel that cleared bushes around this place, replaced grass on
some of the huts and demarcated boundaries to prevent encroachers on
the land but this was not enough,” he says.
About the Bachwezi
They
are believed to the founders of the ancient empire of Kitara which
included areas of Uganda; northern Tanzania, western Kenya and Eastern
DR Congo and were, therefore, accorded the status of demi-gods and
worshipped by some local people at the time.
It is not clear what
happened to the Bachwezi and there are many stories told about their
disappearance. There is, however, a popular belief among scholars that
the Bachwezi simply got assimilated into the indigenous tribes and could
be the Bahima of Ankole and the Tutsi of Rwanda and Burundi.
Talking about the Bachwezi who mysteriously disappeared,
researcher James Tumusiime said there’s remains a mystery to the world.
Culture gives Ankole an identity as seen through entertainers
at Biharwe Eclipse Pyramid in Mbarara. (Photo by Tituzs Kakembo)
Vehicles destined to Biharwe
Hill to launch the 500 Eclipse anniversary celebrations slid, got stuck
in the mud and had their engines silent.
Residents and
visitors jumped out of the air-conditioned cars and paved the way with
stones, grass, and logs to harden the earth on February 27.
"Traditional
healers in the neighbourhood say the gods are angry with us ordinary
mortals," said John Kaahwa a resident. "We are supposed to sacrifice a
bull, goats, and sheep to appease them or we will continue suffering the
effects of climate change."
He said besides the recent threat of locusts and Coronavirus people have braved floods, droughts, and other diseases.
Talking about the Bachwezi who mysteriously disappeared, researcher James Tumusiime said there's remains a mystery to the world.
"But
what historians know is that Buganda, Ankole and Toro kingdoms owe
their roots to the Bachwezi dynasty," said Tumusiime. "They were the
founders of Bunyoro Kitara which expanded to DR of Congo, Tanzania,
Uganda, and Kenya. They were demigods and worshipped by ordinary mortals
till the 16 Century."
Picture by Titus Kakembo
Tumusiime revealed this during the
launch of celebrations of the 500 anniversary of the eclipse symbolized
by a monument on Biharwe Hill in Mbarara.
"They were headed by
Ndahura and Wamala," narrated Tumusiime. "Their empire collapsed after
the death of a darling cow called Bihogo. "Like prophesy had it then,
the Luo under the leadership of Isingoma Rukiidi overpowered the
Bachwezi who had suffered famine and diseases."
Thereafter, they
split into independent kingdoms of Buganda, Busoga and Ankole.
Nonetheless, conservative citizens believe the Bachwezi still exists in
the underworld.
Addressing the audience, the UNDP Country
representative Elsie Attafah, tipped the Uganda government that trends
have it that it is such roots that awe tourists and attract them in
droves.
"Attractions like mammals, reptiles, and birds can be
found in different countries," said Attafah. "But this one is only found
here.
Such attractions can be used to eradicate poverty, boost
incomes and create employment opportunities for the populace to enable
Uganda to attain the desired Millenium Development Goals."
Embedded within the rich traditional history of Uganda is
the tale of the majestic Kitara Empire, one of the oldest and greatest
kingdom settings that ever existed in the interlacustrine; call it the Great Lakes region.
The empire was founded by the Chwezi (With Bantu prefix: Bachwezi or
Bacwezi) who were the successors of the Tembuzi (Batembuzi). The Chwezi
dynasty lasted until the 16th Century when it finally collapsed.
Origin of the Bachwezi
The Chwezi dynasty is thought to have been related to the Tembuzi
dynasty in a way that King Isaza, the last ruler of the latter, before
descending to the underworld, fathered a child (Isimbwa) with Nyamate,
the daughter of the underground king –Nyamionga.
Isimbwa then fathered Ndahura, the first king (Mukhwezi) of the Kitara Empire.
Just like their predecessors the Tembuzi, the Chwezi possessed divine
powers and at the same time, human characteristics and were thus
referred to as demi gods since they belonged to earth and the underworld
as well.
It was their divine nature which made them great magicians and hunters.
The Chwezi empire and dynasty was an extremely vast one supposed to
have covered the entirety of West, South and Central Uganda, along with
some parts of Kenya, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC).
However, their origin remains a mystery and is subject to great
debate by several historians, some of whom even doubt if they really
existed.
Contributions of bachwezi
It is highly believed that the Chwezi ruled this great empire for
about 200 years, that is, from the 14th Century to the 16th Century, and
according to the oral tradition, two kings ruled the empire: Ndahura
and Wamara.
Nevertheless, some accounts record three kings that is, Mulindwa,
Ndahura’s half-brother is said to have a predecessor to Wamara. An
administrative capital was established at Bigo bya Mugenyi and it is
very much deemed to have been an urban center according to discoveries
made by several archaeologists during the present day.
The beginning of the collapse of the Chwezi Empire was marked by the
death of their beloved cow, Bihogo and this came in fulfillment of a
prophecy that if it died, the empire would crumble. Wamara, the last
king of the dynasty was also said to be a weak ruler and that is why he
failed to defend his people from external attack thus making it
vulnerable to its enemies.
The Nilotic Luo invasion of the Kitara Empire marked the final blow
to the empire, leading to its eventual collapse and this was fulfillment
of an earlier prophesy that dark-skilled people from the north would
invade the empire.
The Luo under the leadership of Isingoma Rukiidi Mpuga overran the
Chwezi, who had been weakened by several factors like disease and famine
around 1500 AD, making them to flee to distant parts of the collapsed
empire, while some were believed to have vanished to the underworld
since they possessed a divine status.
It is only after the Luo conquest that Kitara Empire became the
Bunyoro Kitara Empire and thus the establishment of the Babito dynasty
with Isingoma Rukiidi Mpuga becoming the first king (Omukama).
Bunyoro Kitara Empire later got disintegrated as various states broke
away, thus becoming independent kingdoms and sub-dynasties, some of
which include Ankole, Buganda and Busoga.
The chronicle of the Chwezi has not totally faded away as some
traditionalists believe that they still exist somewhere in the
underworld and these look at them as gods.
On some occasions, claims have been made about the reappearance of the Chwezi.
All in all, the Chwezi folklore combined with other legends, present the intriguing origin of Uganda’s peoples.
By Enid Karen Nabumati
By Vision Reporter
Added 12th March 2003 03:00 AM
FROM a distance, one could mistake the hundreds of grass-thatched huts on a
low-lying hillside, for a makeshift military camp.
By Grace Matsiko
FROM a distance, one could mistake the hundreds of grass-thatched huts on a
low-lying hillside, for a makeshift military camp. But the huts are home to over 1,000
believers of self-styled prophetess and spiritual healer, Nabasa Gwajwa.
Three tall, young men man the entrance to the cult headquarters called Irembo,in
Ntutsi, Sembabule District, 90km from Masaka.
Once inside the camp, do not expect answers to any questions. The followers of
Nabasa fear some mysterious eye is looking at them and listening. Even before
you set off from Kampala she knew, says one of the boys.
Nabasa claims to have had a spiritual encounter with an angel in the late 1990s.
She also says she has powers from the Bachwezi, an ancient dynasty believed to
have been semi-gods, who once ruled Western Uganda in the early 15th Century.
At the entrance of the camp, one has to part with sh40,000 to enter, an
increment of 300%, from the last time I visited, two years ago.
The cult has weathered several raids from security personnel following the mass
murder of members of Joseph Kibwetere’s cult in Kanungu, in March 1998.
Nabasa, a primary seven dropout, was arrested with her father Charles Gwajwa
and charged with running an illegal society. The state later withdrew the case.
Nabasa’s father says she got her supernatural powers after she died and
resurrected four days later, in September 1996.
Ever since, Nabasa has held the Bible in one hand
and ministered the ancestral Chwezi powers with the other.
With poor sanitation and no security at the camp, Local Council officials worry
about the safety of her followers. On the average, over 300 people share only
one pit latrine. The nearest water source a dug-out well, half a kilometre
away, is shared with livestock.
Local Council officials fear that with the advancing rains, there is a high
risk of a cholera outbreak in the camp, especially at the beginning of the
month, when kuhasirira a cleansing ritual, attracts over 2,000 people to the
camp.
The ritual involves mixing water with herbs that Nabasa then sprinkles on her
followers, to chase away evil spirits. The concoction is also drunk by the
believers. During the cleansing ritual, each clan lights a bonfire. The
believers then gather around them so that the spirits can share the warmth of
the fire and bless them.
Although no one has died yet as a result of the bonfires, last year the fire
razed 300 huts.
The believers, who range from the very young to the very old come from as far
as Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Tanzania.
Hassan Galiwango, the Resident District Commissioner, says Nabasa has taken
advantage of the community’s belief in the Bachwezi dynasty to lure them into
the cult.
He says having hundreds of idle people at the camp has affected the economy of
the district.
In order to increase the numbers, Nabasa has volunteer agents in Kampala and
many other towns who publicise her powers.
But with a number of defections from most of her long time believers, Nabasa’s
powers have been put to test.
Some of the defectors, who are government officials but fear to come out openly,
accuse her of fleecing them of millions of shillings. They say she uses the
cult as source of income.
When she began in 1996, she was very poor, her father rode a bike but now they
have both bought vehicles. They have expanded their farm and built a big family
house as well, say a former believer.
On a normal working day, Nabasa, earns about sh800,000 from a maximum of 20
patients she attends to in addition to entrance fees to the camp,†said one
of her aides.
A wife of a prominent businessman in Kampala, who went to Nabasa because she
was barren, said Nabasa promised that she would bare a child, after previous
futile attempts in various local and overseas hospitals.
I abandoned my home for close to two years. After some time, I saw a bulge. My
husband and relatives were very excited. We bought maternity dresses. But the
bulge vanished, she says with remorse. I will never forget the embarrassment I
went through, she adds with tears rolling down her cheeks.
A graduate of Makerere University after being jobless for a long time, was told
by one of Nabasa’s followers that the prophetess would get him a powerful job.
He stayed at the camp for a year, but got nothing after spending all his money.
John Mwesigye, an ardent believer says: People fail to get what they want
because they lack faith in Nabasa’s powers.
But the recent deaths of two believers in the camp have made believers doubt
her powers and many have started defecting.
If she claims she can foretell things, how come people are dying in the camp.
Why couldn’t she foresee the deaths and advise us,says one disillusioned
believer. He says, the bodies of those who die in the camp, are not supposed to
stay there overnight.
The mourners go through a cleansing ritual after they return from the funeral
and Nabasa suspends work for four days. According to the believers, during the
funeral they are not supposed to eat any meat.
Some believers say Nabasa does not allow the believers to go to hospitals when
they are faced with life threatening diseases. A young man from Luweero was
diagnosed with tuberculosis. He had began getting treatment from a hospital but
abandoned it for a better cure in Ntutsi.
At the camp, he was told that he was unclean and living in sin, and had to go
through cleansing process. He was then put on herbal treatment and a daily dose
of cleansing. But only got weaker and almost died.
His brother dragged him out of the camp amid threats from the cult leaders. A
doctor in a clinic in Kampala, were he was treated says he was brought on the
verge of death. He has since recovered but is still traumatised by the
experience.
During the Justice Julia Sebutinde probe into the
Police force, many police officers visited the cult for protection against
prosecution.
Herman Ssentongo, Sembabule’s LCV Chairman, says they are baffled by the legal
status of Nabasa’s congregation especially after the government closed it. As
long as there is no violence and violation of human rights we cannot take
measures against her, says Ssentongo.
Emmanuel Damba, the district health inspector, says: The camp is not
registered. It is actually a controversial one because important government
officials go there. We are concerned about the safety of people but so far we
cannot do much.
Local officials say the Uganda Revenue Authority is not aware about the large
sums of money that change hands at the camp. It is a business, so why don’t
they pay taxes. She earns millions every week, said a local official.
The nearly forgotten sites, ‘‘Munsa za Kateboha’’ and the
Semwemwa caves, are located some 3 kilometers north of Kakumiro trading
centre off Mubende-Kibaale road. One of the significant features at the
site is a hole in the rock measuring 2 metres deep which is referred to
as Kateboha’s beer pot. The trenches were used by the legendary great
King Kateboha who is believed to have reigned in the 14th century AD
during the Bachwezi Dynasty in the then Great Bunyoro Kitara Empire.
The central government and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom are in the
process of renovating the Bachwezi cultural sites in Kakumiro Sub
County, Kibaale district in a bid to promote tourism industry.The nearly
forgotten sites, ‘‘Munsa za Kateboha’’and the Semwemwa
caves, are located some 3 kilometers north of Kakumiro trading centre
off Mubende-Kibaale road. One of the significant features at the site is
a hole in the rock measuring 2 metres deep which is referred to as
Kateboha’s beer pot.
The trenches were used by the legendary great King Kateboha who is
believed to have reigned in the 14th century AD during the Bachwezi
Dynasty in the then Great Bunyoro Kitara Empire.
The Bachwezi are believed to have ruled the Great Bunyoro Kitara Empire between the 14th and 15th centuries.
In a statement from the office of the Permanent Secretary in the
ministry of trade, tourism and industry issued last week, the ministry
informs Kakumiro Town council of the plans to gazette and develop Munsa
Earth Works Trenches.
The tenches on the site were used to guard against enemies from
gaining entry into the King’s palace which was located in the same area.
Nassan Lubega, a 74 year-old resident in the area, notes that the
name Munsa was derived from the Banyoro expression Mu-esa, which means
‘place of trenches’.
Besides the “beer pot”, the earthworks consist of a
network of V-shaped trenches which are seven metres wide and three feet
deep. They were excavated as defensive lines to safeguard the Bachwezi
from possible outside attacks.
The primordial Semwemwa caves, located on top of Bikakate hill just
half a kilometre from Munsa trenches, were also used as hiding places
for King Kateboha. The sites are believed to be only second in size to
Bigo Byamugenyi archaeological earthworks in Sembabule district.
Lubega says the historical sites have been turned into shrines by
cult practitioners and traditional healers making them less attractive.
Lubega says that the news of developing the sites has brought back a
smile on his face saying if it is successful, he will trap much from the
tourists who will be thronging the area.
Banabas Nsamba, the Bwanswa sub county speaker led a team of
officials from Kakumiro town council to visit the area. Nsamba, who
headed the inspection of the area, says that the sites which are
recognized by UNESCO will be modernized to attract local and
international tourists.
In a document dated June 04, 2013, the Kakumiro town council
officials are asked to sensitize people encroaching on the sites to
vacate. However, the document, a copy of which was seen by redpepper,
did not indicate the costs of the proposed developments.
At least 15 people have encroached on the Caves at Semwema and Munsa trenches for settlement and farming.
Ronald Isagala Araali, an opinion leader and Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom
cultural development advocate for Kibaale district, welcomes the
development stressing that as kingdom officials they were cash-strapped.
According to Araali, the move is being expressed at a time when
Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom is laying strategies for promoting trade,
agriculture and tourism using the available means.
Picture by Titus Kakembo