Bunyoro – Kitara has embarked on creating an inventory of all tourism sites in the kingdom to expose them to a global tourism scene.
Mr Isaac Kalembe, the kingdom speaker (omutalindwa) says that there are many tourist pulls dotted across the former Bunyoro – Kitara Empire that have never been catalogued yet worth attracting both internal and foreign tourists.
All eight districts of Bunyoro including Hoima, Masindi, Buliisa, Kiryandongo, Kikuube, Kagadi, Kibaale and Kakumiro and places beyond the current kingdom frontiers like at Buhekura (Buwekula) in Mubende, Nyakasongola (Nakasongola) and Kiboga among others have diverse tourist attractions ranging from cultural, historical to geographical features.
The Omutalindwa reveals that the kingdom intends to map and develop such sites as the kings’ tombs (amaziba), Omukama (king) Kabaleega’s healing well, the Great Rock at Haibale, the Kibiro hot springs and salt mines in Kigorobya Hoima and the fishing grounds.
Lake Mwitanzige (Albert), River Kiira (Nile), Budongo and Bugoma forests in Masindi and Kikuube districts, hills like Musaijamukuru and caves like Semwema in Kakumiro are among others being targeted for the cause.
“We have much responsibility to develop Bunyoro’s income through promoting internal tourism for the kingdom subjects and external tourism for the Caucasians. This needs an inventory showing where all these tourist attraction sites are found. These tourist attractions need to be publicised. There are so many of them that we have sat on and need to be exposed to the entire world,” Mr Kalembe says.
Ms Joanita Karungi, the chairperson of Bunyoro-Kitara Tourism Committee, says that the kingdom is committed to developing the tourist sites to enable its subjects and people from beyond Bunyoro enjoy them.
All these were agreed upon during a meeting held at Rukurato Hall (Chambers) in Hoima town on Saturday.
We have really not done enough as Banyoro to reclaim, preserve and promote the great Bunyoro kingdom in regard to cultural values,tourism and economic development as awhole!!
It is very painful especially in this generation where we have neglected what our great grand fathers started,the spirit of togetherness,fighting for our values and promoting them and above all the spirit of Panafricanism!!
Its high time we started,its never too late to mend.