Kadaga unveils two more tourist sites in Busoga

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NAMUTUMBA - First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, has unveiled two new tourist sites in the Busoga sub-region to attract more tourists to the area.

Kadaga unveiled the Nakyaka Herbal Forest tourism site and the Namagero cultural site in the Busiki chiefdom as the 37th and 38th tourism sites in the region.

Kadaga, accompanied by Busoga Kingdom’s tourism and heritage minister, Hellen Namutamba, and Miss Busoga Tourism queens led by Mercy Tenywa, flagged off the tourism trail entourage from Busoga Kingdom headquarters on June 16, 2024.

Upon her arrival in Namutumba, Kadaga was welcomed by Busiki chiefdom hereditary prince Yololemu Kisiki and paid a courtesy call to Prophet Christopher Besweri Kaswabuli, the leader of the Isa Masiya faith, at his home in Nsinze, Namutumba district.

After being hosted by Kaswabuli, Kadaga and tourism enthusiasts visited the Nakyaka Herbal Forest tourism site in Kizuba village, Kizuba sub-county in Namutumba district, where the Abaswezi welcomed her with traditional ensweezi.

Women, clad in backcloth and beads tied around their heads, blew traditional flutes as men played the drums, attracting ululations from the crowd and bringing a smile to Kadaga’s face.

While in the herbal forest, the caretaker and clan head of the Abaise Nyanzi clan, Alifakusadi Mubale, explained that the forest, which spans about eight acres, is famous in Busoga for various medicinal herbs that cure various ailments.

He demonstrated some of the herbs to Kadaga, who touched some of the trees and their roots.

“Ekibira kinho Maama kirimu emmere, ebira, ensindomunhwa ediri oti mwaani, akaghama n’amavongo era tusabira abantu emikisa mu kibira kinho era abantu bafuna emirembe n’okusabira abaana okubita obulungi, okusabira abantu okufuna mu maali daibhwe n’okufuna eizaire n’ebindi kamala,” Mubale explained to Kadaga in Lusoga.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs Rebecca Kadaga (C) accompanied by Miss Busoga Tourism Queens as she was flagging off the tourism trail to Namutumba on Sunday. (All Photos by Donald Kiirya)

Mubale said the forest is a store of herbs in Busoga, and trees cannot be cut or firewood collected without the ancestors’ permission. According to folklore, if someone cuts a tree, they die the following day.

Mubale noted that he is the fourth caretaker in his lineage, with the first caretaker, his grandfather, having died at 150 years old in 1960.

From Nakyaka herbal forest, Kadaga visited the Namagero cultural site, where the caretaker explained the history. She saw various features at the cultural site, including a creator well, the footmarks of Byaruhanga, founder of the Abaise Igaga clan from Bunyoro Kingdom, a cave, and a meeting place named Parliament.

Namagero Rock cultural site is known for bringing luck in managing businesses, making profits, and helping those seeking to give birth to twins (eirongo).

Kadaga washed her hands in the ‘well of luck’ at the rock and sprinkled water on her face for luck. She then attended a rally at Namutumba Town Council headquarters, urging residents to promote domestic tourism to increase revenue in Busoga.

Kadaga promised to write to the Ministry of Tourism to establish revenue collection sites at both new sites, where tourists would pay a fee to access them and receive free herbs from Nakyaka Herbal Forest and luck from Namagero rock cultural site.

She also cautioned the caretakers against revealing their herbal medicine formulas to tourists and promised support in protecting their patent rights. Kadaga directed the Namutumba Resident District Commissioner to assist in securing land titles for the sites.

She handed over a brand-new motorcycle, donated by President Yoweri Museveni, to the chief of Busiki County, Yololemu Kisiki, and two bicycles to two LC1 chairpersons.

Namutamba said the purpose of unveiling the sites was to expose them to Ugandans and the world to increase tourism revenue in the Busoga sub-region and the country.

“When tourists come, they will buy local food from various markets in the village where the sites are, and those who want to stay overnight will hire houses or grass-thatched huts for accommodation, thus locals will earn from them,” Namutamba said.

The event was concluded with entertainment from local Busoga artists, including Jobless, Tankatanka, Lochap, Landsoja, and comedians like Swengere family.