KAMPALA, A GEM WITHIN THE PEARL OF AFRICA
Kampala as your ideal tourist attraction
Kampala is well known as Uganda’s capital city. Its name originates from the “Impalas” , which are a type of African antelope that strolled freely amongst its lands. Kampala is a native home to the “Baganda” people and who speak Luganda as their native language. it is known for its beautiful weather, stunning seven hills and delicious dishes.
Top Attractions In Kampala
Martyr’s shrine in Namugongo
The Martyr’s shrine in Namugongo where Christians gather every third day of June to remember those that died for their faith. Within the martyrs’ shrine, we have different places of worship. We have the Roman Catholic church, the Anglican church and a mosque. This is because martyrs came from all the religious denominations. It is important to note however that entering the Anglican church at the Namugongo premises comes at a cost of twenty thousand shillings only. Believers also gather here in order to get some holy water that is believed to be blessed and can be used during exorcism.
Kasubi Tombs
This is where Buganda’s cultural leaders are laid to rest. It is a UNESCO world heritage center. This site sits on thirty hectares of land on a hillside within the city. The place has four royal tombs within it. These royal tombs ecompass and portray traditional African architecture as they are grass thatched and built with mud and reeds. It is important however to note that A cultural tourism site like this one requires you to respect and observe their cultural traditions. Among these traditions is decency which therefore requires you to wrap yourself with a “lesu” in case you turn up as a woman in a micro-skirt or trousers.
Kabaka’s lake
This is man-made lake that was made in the 19th century for water but also for the purpose of security for the “Kabaka”, Buganda’s cultural leader. The initiative was proposed by Kabaka Mwanga of Buganda and the fifty two clans of Buganda actively participated in ensuring that the project was complete. The lake would also see to it that the royal families’ recreational activities like swimming and fishing were offered with a high level of privacy.
The Independence Monument
This beautiful monument was designed by George Maloba, a Kenyan sculptor. It stands at a majestic height of six meters tall. It was built in order to celebrate Uganda’s sovereignty after years of colonial rule. It stands in the middle of the city at Nile venue close to Sheraton hotel, Grand imperial hotel and Standard Chartered bank. It was unveiled on the 8th day of October in 1962, a day prior to her independence by Kalule Settaala who was a minister in charge of culture and community development at the time. This beautiful monument is not only a reminder of the country’s independence but also how beautiful art can be when used to express oneself.
Kampala’s Non-Corporate Night Life
If you are a tourist that enjoys nightlife, Kampala is the city for you. The city’s night life can be groped into corporate and non-corporate night life. The non-corporate night life basically looks at vendors that take to the streets in order to sell food stuffs and home merchandise. One of the most commonly sold food stuffs include ”rolex”, a coinage believed to have come from rolled eggs. We also have roasted meat, chicken and deep fried fish. However, the food that stands out the most is ”kikomando” , which is a mixture of sliced chappati served with beans. Other people that take advantage of the night life are escorts that gather around the streets of the city dressed enticingly in the hopes of getting themselves some customers.
The Corporate Night Life
Kampala is endowed with a variety of beautiful night clubs, restaurants and lounges that offer jazz bands, comedy hours among others. These beautiful night places include Molecule, Aurous, Le Botti, Catwalk lounge and thrones amongst others. The corporate hangouts also offer tasty foods both from Uganda and from other cultures. Sports events are another element of the nightlife. these include watching premier league games and live rugby games from places like Kyaddondo rugby grounds. The nightlife runs from approximately seven pm in the evening till morning. Generally the nightlife caters so wonderfully for anyone that wishes to dance and also enjoy themselves in the ways that they deem fit.
Humanitarian Work
Just like any other city in the world, there are human needs that need close attention and attending to. These needs in some cases require selfless people that are called “volunteers.” Areas that normally attract voluntary work in the city include health care, women empowerment, social work, education, sports and farming amongst others. Over the years, the city has been flocked by various volunteers from different countries in order to help better the lives of some people that need their services. Most voluntary work outreaches focus on slum areas like Katanga slum, Kasokoso, Kirombe among others. It is important to note that as much as the number of slums has kept on growing in Kampala, various volunteers have kept on coming through that offer to hold a hand through donations of sanitary towels, food and water.. The onset of volunteers is also sparked by the continuously emerging NGOs and international organizations like the International Red Cross. With that said, Kampala is a beautiful recommendation as a tourist attraction and a place to offer voluntary services. Indeed Kampala is the place to be.