Kabale museum brings history to natives

The Kabale Regional Museum has reopened following years of renovation, with a call to local communities to embrace developing museums as products for cultural tourism. From colonial relics to traditional artistry - finally reclaiming its rightful place as a cornerstone of identity, education and community pride, the museum is a symbol of both remembrance and rebirth. The newly revamped museum stands as a living archive of Kigezi’s rich heritage. 

  According to Martin Mugarra Bahinduka, the State minister for Tourism, the Museums and Monuments Act 2023, Cap 149, aims to consolidate and reform the law concerning conservation of natural and cultural heritage. It also strengthens the management of cultural and natural heritage, classifies museums, preserves and develops museums and monuments, the tangible and intangible heritage, as well as collects creative works of arts. Section 15 (1) provides for establishment of city, regional, district museums in Uganda.

“I, therefore, encourage the private sector players to invest in our tourism sites,” Mugarra said, during celebrations to mark International Museum Day (IMD) in Kabale last week.  According to Mugarra, about 131,000 visitors visited Uganda’s museums across the country in 2023. “Currently, Uganda's cultural heritage contributes to GDP through the tourism sector, creative industries and other economic-related activities.

The tourism sector alone contributed Shs12.1 trillion, which was 6.6 percent of Uganda's total GDP in 2024. The culture and creative industries also contributed an estimated Shs2.2 trillion.” Mugarra pledged government’s commitment to establish more museums in all regions of Uganda by 2030. This, he said, will make tourists stay longer. “Our target for each tourist is to stay for more than 10 days from the current eight days,” he explained. The Ministry of Tourism is currently finalising a museum in Mbarara (Mugabe palace), while a museum in Moroto District to cater for the Karamoja Sub-region and neighbouring districts is almost complete. 

Other areas and sites in the country planned for development include Fort Portal museum, Kyenjojo, Mutanda Caves in Kisoro, Kibiro in Hoima, Patiko in Gulu, Arua museum to mention but a few. These institutions are decentralising access to heritage, ensuring every region gets a chance to showcase its unique story. According to Ministry of Tourism Permanent Secretary, Doreen Katusime, the National Development Plan 11 recommended diversification of tourism products and increasing the product range to attract more tourists and increase the tourist’s average stay.  The ministry embarked on developing museums and heritage sites and conserving them. “So far, 309 heritage sites have been documented and gazetted,” she said in a speech read by Geoffrey Sseremba, the undersecretary in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Bringing history home

Katusiime revealed that the journey to establish museums in Uganda began in 1903 when Sir Henry Hesketh Joudou Bell ordered all commissioners to start collecting artefacts from communities to start a museum. “His mission was to preserve heritage since communities had started changing from their traditional beliefs to modernity,” she said.

Kabale, already a tourist hotspot due to its proximity to Lake Bunyonyi and Bwindi impenetrable forest, now boasts of another compelling attraction. Tour operators and local guides are incorporating the museum into itineraries, offering visitors a chance to dive deep into Kigezi’s history from pre-colonial traditions to anti-colonial resistance and environmental heritage.

Cultural preservation is also gaining traction among young Ugandans. The museum provides an engaging space for school visits, research projects and interactive learning. “We are targeting school children, researchers and community groups,” Nelson Abiti, the principal curator of the museums said.

“We will host exhibitions, rotate displays and even incorporate music, dance, and story-telling ceremonies,” he added.  For years, he said the community yearned for a permanent home to honour Kigezi’s unique identity. “Thanks to collaborations between local government and national heritage bodies, land was secured, and now the structure proudly stands,” Mr Abiti said. The reopening has now unlocked access to artefacts, traditional regalia, and knowledge archives that celebrate the resilience and creativity of the Bakiga and other communities in the region. The museum’s return comes at a time when Uganda is increasingly positioning cultural tourism as a key pillar of its development strategy.

They not only attract visitors but also promote community-based tourism, domestic travel and education-based excursions. Solomy Nabukalu Nansubuga, the regional curator said Kabale Regional Museum brings history home. “Before, people in Kabale had to travel to Kampala or elsewhere to learn about their own culture.  Now, it is right here. We are ready to receive researchers, tourists, school-going children, everyone,” she said. This year's IMD celebrations were the 12th.