UN cultural agency UNESCO announced Tuesday it was removing the fire-damaged tombs of royal leaders in Buganda from its endangered heritage list, voicing satisfaction with restoration efforts.

The decision on the Tombs of Buganda Kings was passed by the World Heritage Committee at a meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday. The conference which starts on September 10 ends on 25th.

Housed in grass-thatched buildings on a hillside in the capital Kampala, and revered as an important historical and spiritual site for the Baganda people, the tombs were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001.

The main structure, a grass thatched mausoleum traditionally known as Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, is burial site for the four previous Kings (Ba Ssekabaka) of Buganda.  The Kasubi grounds is also burial grounds for several princes and princesses of different Buganda kings.

But a 2010 fire devastated the site, erasing down the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga. Uganda government at the kingdom embarked on a major reconstruction project which was also funded and supervised by UNESCO.

On several occasions Kabaka Rondald Muwenda Mutebi, king of Buganda, has been at the site to assess the renovation works and also perform some mandatory traditional rituals.

Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II (King of Buganda) outside Muzibwazalampanga as has inspected the ongoing renovation works Kasubi Tombs, the burial place for his father, paternal grandparents and other royals. Courtesy Photo.

“Renovation was completed in the summer of 2023 "allowing the site to return to its desired state of conservation", UNESCO said in a statement.

Prof. Hubert Gijzen, the Regional Director, and Representative of UNESCO for Eastern Africa participating in the traditional rituals of giving presents to the Fallen Kings laid in Kasubi tombs being guided by the Tombs Katikkiro, Daniel Nkalubo (on right) while the wives of the fallen Kings are looking on. This was on Thursday February 24, 2022 during the guided tour of the on-going works of rehabilitation and reconstruction of Muzibu-Azaalampanga, the main house in the tombs that was torched on March 16,2010. Prof. Hubert promised that after the reconstruction it will be taken back to the regular list of World heritage sites. (Photo by Dickson Kulumba)

"This reconstruction is a collective success: that of the Ugandan authorities, Ugandan heritage professionals, but also the local communities who were at the heart of the process," said UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay.

Tomotaka Yoshimura

Kasubi Tombs gets sh2.4b firefighting equipment.

The UN was also satisfied with the establishment of an advanced fire-fighting system and the training of volunteer firefighters among residents in order to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

Ahead of the decision, UNESCO had said removing the tombs from the endangered list would be a powerful symbol given that 50 percent of sites considered in danger are in Africa.

The repair works included the interior décor with 52 poles symbolizing the clans among the Baganda is in place with the intricately thatched roof done to perfection with practised expertise.

Buganda Kingdom Katikkiro (prime minister) Charles Peter Mayiga is in the Saudi capital Riyadh for the meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which will decide the status of World Heritage sites.

Mayiga pictured in Riyad with Lazare Eloundou Assomo, (left) Director of UNESCO's World Heritage Center.

The extended 45th session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee started on Sunday and will end on September 25, 2023.

It will examine the state of conservation of 260 sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List, 55 of which are also on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

“I thank every clan and the heads for playing their roles in the most commendable achievement of our time,” said Katiro Peter Mayiga. “The architectural masterpiece, Muzibu Azala Mpanga, is no longer on the list of UNESCO endangered sites. We now have standby firefighting equipment and staff to handle them when need be. Some are volunteers in the Buganda culture.”

The fire destroyed a main tomb building described as an "architectural masterpiece" but UNESCO said it was happy with the restoration and that of other iconic structures.

Buganda, one of four ancient kingdoms in the East African country, was first established in the 14th century its seat is Mengo in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. The Baganda make up the largest ethnic grouping in Uganda and the kingdom was granted considerable autonomy after independence from Britain in 1962.

But independence leader Milton Obote went on to outlaw the tribal kingdoms and forced the Kabaka into exile.

In the country’s checkered political history, former president Dr Milton Obote abolished all four kingdoms in 1967.

President Museveni had the Kingdom restored in 1993 after the Luwero Triangle War to the delight of the subjects.