The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) in collaboration with the Mbale City Council documented historic buildings, sites and monuments in Mbale City from the 18th to 21st of July 2023.
Uganda’s built heritage is under threat from the effects of ‘modernity’. The country has had its iconic buildings demolished and replaced with ‘modern’ ones, whilst surviving ones are dwarfed by newly constructed storeyed buildings. This means a lost connection with our shared past, posing a risk of losing unique features that prevent our cities from becoming indistinguishable from each other.
In Mbale, iconic buildings such as the Bank of Uganda Building (the currency center) was demolished, the Green Spaces such as Uhuru Park and the Friends Triangle on Bishop Road that gave the city its beauty in the 1960’s are fast disappearing and being replaced by residential and business structures?
“Your work in Mbale City is timely. Places of history and heritage are being destroyed by the people. We shall soon lose our identity. We are ready to work with you in any way to restore these places and raise awareness about the importance of heritage sites in Mbale.” Wamimbi Wilson, the former Umukhuka, Inzu Ya Masaba
With Mbale’s new city status, these historical buildings, sites and monuments will disappear at an even faster rate because of the rush by developers to take up business space in the city.
Against this background, CCFU in 2020 embarked on a campaign to “Promote and preserve historic buildings in Mbale”. The campaign aims at producing a map of historic buildings, monuments and sites in Mbale city, placing plaques on them and engaging the city council to enact an ordinance aimed at safeguarding and preserving these properties.
In 2022, CCFU was supported by the Irish Embassy in Uganda and Ugandan individuals to conduct preliminary research on the status of historic properties in Mbale. 3 information boards were erected at the Lukhobo Old House that served as Mbale’s administrative unit in the 1950’s, Northroad Primary School and Semei Kakungulu House.
This week’s exercise thus looked to complete the documentation of the history and significance of notable historic buildings, sites and monuments in the city. Some of the properties that have been documented include the iconic clock tower, the residence of the first Bagisu King, Elgon and Ashok Cinemas, Bugisu Cooperative Union buildings, Abayudaya Synagogue, St. Andrew’s Church, Mutoto Circumcision grounds, among others.
“We hope that this work will boost the tourism industry of Bugisu, especially by strengthening cultural tourism.” Winnie Nambuba, the Senior Tourism Officer, Mbale City
CCFU’s efforts to safeguard and promote built and natural heritage
CCFU has established a heritage trust – the Heritage Conservation Trust of Uganda to champion the safeguarding of built heritage, cultivate pride in our heritage and help citizens and foreign visitors alike experience the “spirit” of a city, community and nation; and to protect our natural heritage. Having a dedicated Trust accelerates our efforts to protect historic sites in the country.
In 2015, we embarked on a programme whose ultimate objective is to protect and promote historic buildings and sites in Uganda. As a first step, maps of historic properties in Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja and Fort Portal were produced. This was followed by a training event for owners and managers of historic buildings and support for the development of information materials on selected properties. The Foundation has also worked with Mengo Hospital and the Ham Mukasa family in a bid to celebrate specific historic buildings in Kampala (these appear on the historic buildings map of Kampala).
CCFU is also engaging with KCCA to promulgate an Ordinance to protect Historic Properties in Kampala. This work complements our active engagement with the International National Trusts Organisation.
In 2018, with support from the European Union, the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) recognised and unveiled commemorative plaques on notable historical sites in Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe. These events were preceded by a training of photographers and researchers on how to document historical buildings and seminars on the value and contribution of historical buildings and sites in Jinja, Entebbe and Kampala.
Three outputs including an executive book (available at 180,000 shs), maps and a mobile app (for android and IOS users) were launched.
In 2022, CCFU documented cultural heritage sites at risk from climate change in the Rwenzori and Alur regions and produced booklets. Heritage sites in these regions were signposted, including planting trees and grass on them. In Pakwach, a gabion wall was constructed at the Wang-Lei heritage site to protect is from being washed by the flooding River Nile