Ugandan Banyarwanda seek to establish cultural centre in Kampala
The proposed centre will include a museum and archives where historical materials will be collected, preserved and displayed for public education and research.
Elders and other members of the Ugandan Banyarwanda community pose for a group photo during a prayer breakfast and consultative meeting in Kampala. (Photo by Aloysious Kasoma)
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The Ugandan Banyarwanda community is planning to establish a cultural centre in Kampala to preserve its history, document cultural practices and pass its heritage on to future generations.
The proposed centre will provide a permanent home for historical records, cultural artefacts and traditional knowledge, while creating opportunities for young people to learn about their roots from elders and cultural practitioners.
The initiative was discussed during a consultative prayer breakfast organised by the Ugandan Banyarwanda Trust at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on Friday, November 6, 2026. The meeting brought together elders and community members to discuss the vision and plans for establishing the centre.
Under the theme “Preserving Our Heritage,” the proposed institution is expected to serve as a cultural, educational and research centre for families, students, researchers, visitors and tourists.
Speaking at the meeting, the Trust chairman, Hon. Gad K. Gasaatura, said the initiative was intended to bring together the community's historical materials and provide young people with opportunities to learn from older generations.
Gad K. Gasaatura (centre), chairman of the Ugandan Banyarwanda Trust, and Hon. Gashegu Muramira (left), chairman of the Trust’s organising committee, during the consultative meeting in Kampala. (Photo by Aloysious Kasoma)
Hon. Justice Allan Paul Nshimye said the project would help protect the community's history from being lost as older generations pass away.
“Our ambition is to build a cultural landmark that preserves our heritage for future generations. The knowledge held by our elders and the history of our community need to be documented and preserved. We want the next generation to be able to ask questions about their heritage and find reliable information,” Nshimye said.
He also appreciated President Yoweri Museveni for providing leadership that has maintained peace and stability, enabling different communities to exercise their cultural rights.
The proposed centre will include a museum and archives where historical materials will be collected, preserved and displayed for public education and research.
The planned exhibitions will include traditional musical instruments, household objects, clothing and tools historically used in security and economic production. These will include milk pots, gourds and other items that reflect the community's traditional way of life.
Photographs and historical documents will also be collected to help explain the origins, development and cultural practices of the Ugandan Banyarwanda, including their historical interactions with other communities in Uganda.
“Our people believed in God; they had values, which we have a duty to pass on to the children. Respect for culture is fundamental; it is important that it is respected,” Butera said.
Beyond serving the Banyarwanda community, the centre is expected to welcome the wider Ugandan public through exhibitions, school visits, cultural activities and research programmes.
Hon. Gashegu Muramira, Deputy Speaker of Mukono District and chairman of the organising committee, said the project would also help other Ugandans understand the community's contribution to the country's history.
“This history forms part of Uganda's history. We want other Ugandans to be able to visit, ask questions and learn about our community. We also want young Ugandan Banyarwanda to see their heritage represented in a place where they can study it and contribute to its future,” Muramira said.
The Trust is continuing consultations with community elders and members before seeking financial and institutional support to establish the centre.
The Ugandan Banyarwanda Trust is a registered corporate body mandated to promote the culture and preserve the history of the Ugandan Banyarwanda, recognised as one of Uganda's indigenous communities under the Third Schedule of the Constitution.