The seven wonders of Jinja
Jul 28, 2007
Source of the Nile<br>STANDING at the spot John Hanning Speke stood almost 140 years ago on the western banks of the river, I look down into the dark blue waters of the mighty River Nile.
By George Bita
in Jinja
Source of the Nile
STANDING at the spot John Hanning Speke stood almost 140 years ago on the western banks of the river, I look down into the dark blue waters of the mighty River Nile.
Unfortunately, I am several generations too late to see exactly what the English army officer and explorer saw on July 28, 1862.
Nonetheless, I keep motionless for a few minutes marveling at the wonderful scenery below the flush green vegetation and that appealing blue water dotted with fishing boats.
“Still it is a sight that attracts one to it for hours. The roar of the waters, the thousands of passenger fish leaping at the falls with all their might; the Wasoga and Waganda fishermen coming out in boats and taking post on all the rocks with (fishing) rods and hooks,†wrote Speke in his diary.
The construction of Nalubaale (formerly Owen Falls) dam, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, and subsequent rise in the river level has since the submerged the once magnificent Rippon falls described so elaborately by the explorer.
However, the submerging of the falls does not remove the fact that this is the spot where the Nile waters begin their mighty flow over 6,695km (4,160 miles) through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.
Numerous visitors to the Source of the Nile prefer the comparatively better constructed site on the eastern banks, although the splendid view is on the opposite bank, some 3km from the Nile Breweries junction in Njeru town.
It is at raised ground in the Source of the Nile gardens that one can clearly see the topography of River Nile branching off from Lake Victoria. Kellyson Abaho, caretaker of the gardens, says apart from having an enhanced view of the source of River Nile, visitors also see an almost aerial view of Napoleon gulf.
A tiled path curved into the rock surface leads right down to the river though it may prove dangerous to children and those with a phobia for heights. “We get tourists daily and most of them are foreigners. The few local visitors are mostly lovers who need space for themselves,†Abaho says.
Abaho says local visitors pay sh1,000 while foreigners pay sh2,000 to access to the place. “We allow camping at a fee of sh5,000 per night, but campfires are not allowed at all,†he says.
Different rates apply on the opposite, much-developed site by the river bank which has varying sights. At the source of the River Nile, the Jinja Municipal Council charges sh7,000 for big vehicles, sh1,000 for cars and sh500 for motorcycles.
Foreigners pay sh5,000, Ugandan adults sh1,000, children sh300 and students sh500. The main attraction here is the metallic bars that hang over the fast-flowing waters at the point where Rippon falls existed before 1947. The falls were named after the president of the Royal Geographical Society by Speke.
Bujagali Falls
Bujagali Falls is about 8km from Jinja town. It is a must-stop for many tourists because of an awesome backdrop of Nile waters gushing over huge rocks on the river bottom, producing a continuous roaring sound. Jaja Budhaghali, a traditional medicine man with claims over the site, is believed to traverse the rapids seated on bark cloth although visitors only get to see rafters or daring youth surfing with the aid of empty jerrycans.
Children or students pay sh1,000, adults sh2,000 and foreigners sh3,000 to visit the site.
There are cottages at $15 per night for double rooms and $10 for singles. Dormitories go for $5 and camping costs $2.
At the entrance of Bujagali Falls is the glamorous Eden Rock Resort. It is adjacent to All Terrain Adventures (Uganda). Tourists can pick souvenirs from the crafts shop and convenience store.
The ‘Kilembe’ Chimney
The tall pipe atop a hill by the Lake Victoria waters is a sign that one is nearing Jinja town. This chimney was part of the defunct copper smelting plant in Kilembe, a suburb of Jinja town.
Nalubaale dam
At this dam, one can spot crocodiles basking quietly in the afternoon sun. The dam managed by Eskom (Uganda) Ltd generates almost all of the national hydro-electric power, which is also supplied to Kenya and Rwanda.
Kirinya Prison
Kirinya Prisons is located on a hilly landscape surrounded by a man-made marshy canal with a single, well-guarded gate that leads into the penitentiary.
Musa Katende, an elderly resident of Kirinya road, says the water enclosure was dug up by prisoners a long time ago.
Kyabazinga palace
The once glamorous palace of the king of Busoga lies atop Igenge hill near Wanyange Girls Secondary School. However, some work that has been done on the ruined palace by the Government would deny a would-be visitor a chance to see how dilapidated it was a few years ago.
It had become a grazing ground for cattle and the walls had become the visitors’ book with several names of guests written there amid obscene inscriptions.
From its strategic location, one can have an almost aerial view of the entire Jinja town and parts of Njeru.
Despite recent setbacks that have stalled renovation, the palace, whose compound occupies almost the whole hill, is set to regain its lost glory.
Bicycles
Bicycles are almost everywhere ferrying people, charcoal, matooke and chicken. David Wakudumira, the former Jinja mayor, says the bicycles have been here since time immemorial as the best mode of transport because they are handy and cheap. But on second thought, it is worth wondering whether Jinja would be this unique had the Nile River been located elsewhere.
in Jinja
Source of the Nile
STANDING at the spot John Hanning Speke stood almost 140 years ago on the western banks of the river, I look down into the dark blue waters of the mighty River Nile.
Unfortunately, I am several generations too late to see exactly what the English army officer and explorer saw on July 28, 1862.
Nonetheless, I keep motionless for a few minutes marveling at the wonderful scenery below the flush green vegetation and that appealing blue water dotted with fishing boats.
“Still it is a sight that attracts one to it for hours. The roar of the waters, the thousands of passenger fish leaping at the falls with all their might; the Wasoga and Waganda fishermen coming out in boats and taking post on all the rocks with (fishing) rods and hooks,†wrote Speke in his diary.
The construction of Nalubaale (formerly Owen Falls) dam, opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1954, and subsequent rise in the river level has since the submerged the once magnificent Rippon falls described so elaborately by the explorer.
However, the submerging of the falls does not remove the fact that this is the spot where the Nile waters begin their mighty flow over 6,695km (4,160 miles) through Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.
Numerous visitors to the Source of the Nile prefer the comparatively better constructed site on the eastern banks, although the splendid view is on the opposite bank, some 3km from the Nile Breweries junction in Njeru town.
It is at raised ground in the Source of the Nile gardens that one can clearly see the topography of River Nile branching off from Lake Victoria. Kellyson Abaho, caretaker of the gardens, says apart from having an enhanced view of the source of River Nile, visitors also see an almost aerial view of Napoleon gulf.
A tiled path curved into the rock surface leads right down to the river though it may prove dangerous to children and those with a phobia for heights. “We get tourists daily and most of them are foreigners. The few local visitors are mostly lovers who need space for themselves,†Abaho says.
Abaho says local visitors pay sh1,000 while foreigners pay sh2,000 to access to the place. “We allow camping at a fee of sh5,000 per night, but campfires are not allowed at all,†he says.
Different rates apply on the opposite, much-developed site by the river bank which has varying sights. At the source of the River Nile, the Jinja Municipal Council charges sh7,000 for big vehicles, sh1,000 for cars and sh500 for motorcycles.
Foreigners pay sh5,000, Ugandan adults sh1,000, children sh300 and students sh500. The main attraction here is the metallic bars that hang over the fast-flowing waters at the point where Rippon falls existed before 1947. The falls were named after the president of the Royal Geographical Society by Speke.
Bujagali Falls
Bujagali Falls is about 8km from Jinja town. It is a must-stop for many tourists because of an awesome backdrop of Nile waters gushing over huge rocks on the river bottom, producing a continuous roaring sound. Jaja Budhaghali, a traditional medicine man with claims over the site, is believed to traverse the rapids seated on bark cloth although visitors only get to see rafters or daring youth surfing with the aid of empty jerrycans.
Children or students pay sh1,000, adults sh2,000 and foreigners sh3,000 to visit the site.
There are cottages at $15 per night for double rooms and $10 for singles. Dormitories go for $5 and camping costs $2.
At the entrance of Bujagali Falls is the glamorous Eden Rock Resort. It is adjacent to All Terrain Adventures (Uganda). Tourists can pick souvenirs from the crafts shop and convenience store.
The ‘Kilembe’ Chimney
The tall pipe atop a hill by the Lake Victoria waters is a sign that one is nearing Jinja town. This chimney was part of the defunct copper smelting plant in Kilembe, a suburb of Jinja town.
Nalubaale dam
At this dam, one can spot crocodiles basking quietly in the afternoon sun. The dam managed by Eskom (Uganda) Ltd generates almost all of the national hydro-electric power, which is also supplied to Kenya and Rwanda.
Kirinya Prison
Kirinya Prisons is located on a hilly landscape surrounded by a man-made marshy canal with a single, well-guarded gate that leads into the penitentiary.
Musa Katende, an elderly resident of Kirinya road, says the water enclosure was dug up by prisoners a long time ago.
Kyabazinga palace
The once glamorous palace of the king of Busoga lies atop Igenge hill near Wanyange Girls Secondary School. However, some work that has been done on the ruined palace by the Government would deny a would-be visitor a chance to see how dilapidated it was a few years ago.
It had become a grazing ground for cattle and the walls had become the visitors’ book with several names of guests written there amid obscene inscriptions.
From its strategic location, one can have an almost aerial view of the entire Jinja town and parts of Njeru.
Despite recent setbacks that have stalled renovation, the palace, whose compound occupies almost the whole hill, is set to regain its lost glory.
Bicycles
Bicycles are almost everywhere ferrying people, charcoal, matooke and chicken. David Wakudumira, the former Jinja mayor, says the bicycles have been here since time immemorial as the best mode of transport because they are handy and cheap. But on second thought, it is worth wondering whether Jinja would be this unique had the Nile River been located elsewhere.