After more than a decade of dormancy in tourism activity, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has backed the move to remove the Kasubi Tombs from the list of endangered heritage sites in Africa.
This development has been hailed by the Buganda kingdom, which sees it as a catalyst for reviving tourism and contributing to the economic growth of both Buganda and Uganda.
The Kasubi Tombs, a significant cultural and historical site in Uganda, had been rendered inactive after a devastating fire in 2010 that reduced the main building housing the mausoleum of four former Buganda Kings to ashes. This tragic event brought tourism activity at the site to a halt, leaving it in a state of disrepair.
Owek. Kazibwe Kitooke, Minister of Information for the Buganda Kingdom, reflected on this challenging period, stating, "The fire in 2010 left us in a state of despair, and UNESCO declared the site endangered to facilitate its restoration."
Now, after 13 years, the status of the Kasubi Tombs is poised for revision, following a UNESCO mission to the site in June of this year to oversee its completion. The Buganda kingdom warmly welcomes this move, anticipating a resurgence in tourism activity that had been on hold, which they believe will generate employment opportunities across the tourism value chain.
Minister Kazibwe Kitooke added, "The removal of the endangered status will not only re-ignite cultural pride and historical significance but will also provide an economic boost to both Buganda and Uganda Through the over 2million daily projected revenue gate collections”.
The Ministry of Tourism has wasted no time and has already embarked on developing a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote the Kasubi Tombs globally.
Doreen Katusiime, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, shared insights into their plans, stating, "We are committed to marketing the site beyond Uganda's borders, which will stimulate the diversification of tourism products and encourage activities such as research by anthropologists."
In September of this year, representatives from 21 member states of the World Heritage Committee will convene in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, to finalize deliberations aimed at realizing the removal of the Kasubi Tombs from the endangered heritage sites list.
This international consensus underscores the shared commitment to preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the Kasubi Tombs, reigniting its significance in the global tourism landscape.
