By Our Reporter,
KAMPALA
The founder of Miracle Centre Cathedral Church in Kampala senior Pastor Robert Kayanja is calling for the renovation of Kabaka’s Lake, a historic and culturally significant site in the city. During his Easter sermons at the Church, Pastor Kayanja emphasized the importance of preserving Uganda’s cultural heritage and natural beauty.
He advocated for the renovation and preservation of Kabaka’s Lake, highlighting its cultural and historical significance, noting that the renovation of the lake could boost tourism in the area, benefiting the local economy. He emphasized that renovating the lake would not only benefit the local community but also provide a peaceful retreat for residents and visitors.
Speaking out on this issue, Pastor Kayanja encouraged stakeholders to work towards preserving Uganda’s cultural heritage and natural beauty, highlighting that renovation efforts could transform Kabaka’s lake into a thriving tourist destination and community hub.
He revealed some of the challenges facing Kabaka’s Lake, citing a poor drainage system and encroachment by people on the lake’s land as major contributors to its diminished state leading to pollution and degradation as well as reducing its size and compromised its integrity, further exacerbating the challenges facing the lake.
However, he announced that the church is in talks with the Mengo government and other stakeholders to renovate the Lake. According to him, these discussions aim to bring together key parties to work towards a comprehensive renovation plan, including Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), St. Lawrence Universty (SLAU), Residents, among others.
*Brief notes about Kabaka’s Lake*
The Kabaka’s lake is one of the best and most attractive places to visit while in Kampala. It is the largest man-made lake in Uganda and is found in Ndeeba, one of the city suburbs. Ndeeba is located 5km away from the Kampala City centre, but the lake lies between Nabunya Road and Ring Road. The origin of the Kabaka’s lake dates back to the 1880s when Kabaka (King) Mwanga II of Buganda was inspired by a number of reasons to construct the lake. One of the reasons was to create an escape route through Lake Victoria in case he faced danger from land.
During Kabaka Mwanga’s reign, he had many conflicts with missionaries and British colonialists. The king was deeply rooted in his traditional beliefs and customs. He saw foreign religions as a threat to his rule, and that is why he ordered the killing of the Uganda Martyrs. The king also decided to construct the Kabakas Lake to connect his palace to Lake Victoria, where he often went to practice his hobbies of swimming and fishing. The lake would also connect his other palace in Mengo to another location in Mulungu Hill (Munyonyo area) just near Lake Victoria.
Having made up his mind to build the lake, Kabaka Mwanga mobilized his subjects from all the 52 clans of Buganda. The population of Buganda was about 2 million at the time, and that was enough to provide all the manpower he needed for the project. It should be stressed that not everyone in the kingdom was willing to participate in the project. Some Princesses, princes, and parish chiefs had distanced themselves from the project. When Kabaka learnt about it, he decided to go and take part in the excavations himself. This act left the defiant individuals embarrassed by their actions and eventually participated in the project.
The excavation project was embarked on in 1880, and this part of the work lasted for only 11 months. Due to the technicality of the work, several lives were lost from accidents, fatigue, and hunger.
