Archives: When Princess Anne visited Busoga in 1988

The UK’s Princess Anne and her husband Sir Tim Laurence arrived in Uganda on Tuesday for a four-day visit.

This was their first royal tour since Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022. The only daughter of Elizabeth and the younger sister of King Charles III, Anne, also known as Princess Royal, is 16th in the line of succession to the throne.

This is not the first time the princess is visiting Uganda. She first visited Uganda in 1988.

On Thursday, we shared a story about when Princess Royal started her tour in Uganda. Today (Friday), we share another story written by Godfrey Byaruhanga and published in the New Vision on February 26, 1988, when she visited Busoga.

Princess Royal visits Busoga

Princess Royal ended her four-day visit to Uganda today after touring projects and programmes funded by Save the Children Fund (SCF) in the districts of Luwero, Mpigi, Iganga, Jinja and Mukono.

She arrived at Entebbe Airport on Tuesday morning.

Before taking her morning 10 o'clock flight to Mozambique, she will call on President Museveni at State House Entebbe. This will be the third time she calls on him during the four days.

After paying a courtesy call on him on arrival, Princess Royal attended a state reception hosted by Museveni at State House.

Everywhere the princess went, she was given a jubilant and mammoth welcome by the local people. She was entertained to traditional dances and music and school children's songs.

All children wished her long life, apparently in recognition of the services extended to them by her SCF.

One member of her entourage was heard saying that they were amazed by the tremendous spontaneous welcome they had received from the population.

"We have been very impressed by the amount of organisation that there has been during this visit. The police put up a very good show especially in controlling the traffic," another said.

Yesterday's tour ended at Mukono Children's Home which currently caters for 53 orphans and the destitute. She ended her stay at the home by planting a tree in the home's compound.

Mukono Children's Home started last year and is being assisted by SCF and other charity organisations.

Princess Anne (facing camera) among orpahs at Kapeeka when she visited the infamous Luwero Triangle. An offical of the orphans centre is on the extreme left. (File photo)

She was shown around the home by the Director-General of Juvenile Welfare Service, Sam Zavuga. He showed her handlooms that are being installed to teach weaving to the centre's inmates.

The centre's administrator, James Kabogoza, said the centre is set up to help helpless children be self-reliant.

Princess Royal visits tsetse zone

The morning tour started at Namungalwe Health Centre near Iganga which is now the headquarters of the war against tsetse flies. The princess was shown a trap designed and developed by Mr Lancienne after whom it is named.

Dr Kangwagye of the Ministry of Animal Industry and Fisheries told Princess Royal that they have problems securing white teralyne nets that are a component of the trap.

He appealed for assistance to get more of the nets so that traps could be erected in all infested areas.

The DA of Iganga, Abbey Mukwaya said the Uganda government and the Overseas Development Agency (UDA) of British are to set up a bigger laboratory and other facilities at the centre for research into and treatment of sleeping sickness.

The centre was started in 1925 by the colonial government for the treatment of the disease

In the afternoon, she was received by the DA of Jinja Fred Mukisa, near the source of the Nile. She was greeted by a big crowd that was dominated by students. SCF assists orphans of Mama Jane's children's Care Centre and St Moses Children's Home.

The Chairperson of Mama Jane, Julian Bezuidhenhout said her centre looks after 39 orphans. Mama Jane centre was formed in 1982 after the death of Jane Babirye who was looking after St Moses. Then Mama Jane was named after her.

On Wednesday, Princess Royal started her tour at Wakiso Health Centre. She arrived just after a baby boy had been delivered and named Mark Phillips after Her Royal Highness's husband. Another woman was in labour.

There, she visited the antenatal clinic which has been rehabilitated with the assistance of the SCF. an out-patients block is undergoing renovation following the looting meted out on the centre by the UNLA during its war with the NRA.

At Masulita, she inspected the damage done to the school as a result of the war. She also met James Kaggwa, an orphan, whom SCF has loaned a sewing machine.

Children of Masulita Church of Uganda Primary School performed dances that demonstrated the NRA struggle under Museveni's leadership

She continued to Kapeeki where she found work to finish the house of four orphans of one family in progress. The house is being built with the help of SCF and local people.

Their parents were killed at the height of the war and they managed to escape. They have preferred going back to their former home to joining an orphanage.

At noon, she was received by the former Minister of Health Dr Ruhakana Rugunda at Nakaseke Hospital. She toured the paediatric wards of the hospital.