Tourism ministry asked to table acquisition details of sh331m Kibwetere museum land
More than 700 members of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God sect, led by Kibwetere and Keredonia Mwerinde, were burnt to ashes behind closed doors of the church.
Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities Permanent Secretary Doreen Katusiime. (Courtesy photo)
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Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities has been ordered to table evidence showing how it acquired land in Kanungu District to establish a museum documenting the massacre that claimed hundreds 26 years ago.
More than 700 members of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God sect, led by Kibwetere and Keredonia Mwerinde, were burnt to ashes behind closed doors of the church.
It is reported that the two main suspects, still at large, duped their congregation into believing that it was the safest bet since the world was coming to an end. An end that never came to be.
On Friday, August 14, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairperson Patrick Guma-Oshabe Nsamba (Kassanda North, NUP) issued the directive on the land transaction during an interaction with ministry officials led by Permanent Secretary (PS) Doreen Katusiime.
The Auditor General’s 2024/25 audit report indicated that Sh331,902,000 was expended on the project.
The directive followed questions from several lawmakers, including Abdullah Kiwanuka (Mukono North, NUP). Some wondered how Kibwetere, who reportedly owned the land in question and has since been presumed dead or on the run, was able to transact with the same Government pursuing him.
Supplementing, Muhammad Kibedi Nsegumire (Mityana North, NRM) asked, “If Kibwetere died, who then signed the transfers? Let us know the administrator of Kibwetere.”
Ministry responds
In response, Permanent Secretary Doreen Katusiime told MPs that the ministry bought the land from the estate administrator, whose name she could not recall.
“We paid the owners of the land. I cannot remember the names, but we identified the owners because we got a transfer,” said Katusiime.
She added that for purposes of posterity, the Government gazetted the site of the doomsday massacre.
At the moment, the ministry is working on over 600 gazetted tourism sites nationwide, including the site in Dokolo district where Omukama Chwa II Kabalega of Bunyoro and Kabaka Mwanga II were captured by colonialists. The PS added that the Omugabe Palace in Mbarara, Ankole, is another site recently rehabilitated.
Was a feasibility study done?
Allan Atugonza (Buliisa County, NRM), a committee member, asked the ministry officials to provide evidence that a feasibility study had been conducted to support the establishment of the Kibwetere museum.
“I’m assuming they first did research to check whether they will get the numbers (visitors). Sh331 million to be put somewhere in Kanungu, first and foremost, I would love to look at the land title and establish whether it exists, how many acres,” Atugonza argued.
Albert Lokoru (Tepeth County, NRM) and Johnson Nyeko (Lamwo County, NRM) said that, in preserving the country’s history, Government should cast its eyes wider.
“Karamoja has so many clans, ranging from the Dodoth, Jie, Matheniko, Tepeth, Ik, Ethur and Pian. They have different ceremonies to mark certain events, but there is a common place called Nakadanya where they normally collect together to celebrate all aspects of life in Karamoja. And this site has not been developed. It is one site which we are proposing be developed to the level of Ekaless Centre in Lodwar (Kenya),” Lokoru pointed out.
“We have several sites which can bring a lot of income to Uganda through tourism. For instance, our ancient settlement areas right on the mountain. How our people used to build. Which is more like the ancient British homes. Building with stones without any attachment at that time, and the buildings have lasted for hundreds of years. They are here in Agorro (Lamwo district),” Nyeko added.