Uganda Museum
Found on Kira road, it is the biggest and oldest museum in Kampala. Established to showcase Uganda’s cultural heritage with displays of ethnological and natural-historical exhibits, Uganda Museum was built in 1908 and its remarkable collection spans over two million years of human history. Enjoy African history cultures and treasures of Uganda under one roof.
The Museum has different sections including
- Traditional music section with the traditional musical instruments and a live performance is available for the visitors
- Archaeology section with the parts of Stone Age and Iron Age where you will be able to see the stone tools which were used 1,000,000 years ago
- Independence pavilion of science and industry having transport (7th car in Uganda), communication (model of the 1st telephone in East Africa)
- Ethno history with the things of recent history like the first printing press in Uganda
- Ethnography providing the visitors with the touch of cultures and peoples' way of life
- Paleaolontology with the fossils aged about 20,000,000 years ago. Also discover the distinct species of mammals like Long- horned buffalo and the Indian Elephant
- Outside the Museum is the Living museum (Cultural village) that exhibits the ways of lives of Ugandans as it represents the whole of Uganda.
A visit to the site could be definitely done with a bit of a spruce up, creative revamp and a dusting. It is in fact a bit like being stuck in a fantasy movie where the long forgotten exhibits come to life at night or transport you to an alternative universe.
Ugandan Parliament
The Parliament of Uganda is the legislative arm of the government and derives its mandate and functions from the 1995 Constitution, the Laws of Uganda and its own Rules of Procedure.
The Constitution contains articles which provide for the establishment, composition and functions of the Parliament of Uganda and empowers Parliament "to make laws on any matter for the peace, order, development and good governance of Uganda", and "to protect the Constitution and promote democratic governance in Uganda".
The Ugandan Parliament dates back to 1888 with the arrival of the Imperial British East African Company which brought an established legislation system in the 1902 ordinance which continued to 1920. After this time, a legislative council (LEGCO) was promulgated and at the beginning it comprised of seven members who were to be Europeans and these included; The Governor, Sir Robert Coryndon who was the President of the Council. The other official members were the Chief Secretary, Mr. E.B. Jarvis; the Acting Attorney General, Mr. A.B. Howes; the Treasurer, Mr. A.E. Boory; and the Principal Medical Officer, Dr. C.A. Wiggins. There were also two unofficial. Mr. E.H. Levis and Mr. W.S. Garn hem (who was deputizing for Dr. H.H. Hunter). The first Council meeting on 23rd March 1921 in the High Court Chambers in Entebbe. On the 26th May, 1926 the first Asian, Mr. Chrunabai Jekabhai Amin, was sworn in as a member of the Council which was a positive step in ensuring corporation in the whole protectorate. The move to incorporate other groups of people and by 1945, the council had Africans, Asians and Europeans. On October 23, 1945 the Governor Sir John Hall announced that the state for the three African Members were to be nominated from Buganda, Western and Eastern Provinces as approved by the state of the colonies. On the 4th December, 1945, the first Africans to join the LEGCO were sworn in. These included; Michael Earnest Kawalya Kaggwa, Petero Nyangabyaki and Yekonia Zirabamuzaale. These were Katikkiro of Buganda; Katikkiro of Bunyoro; and the Secretary General of Busoga respectively. The Northern Province was reconstituted in three years and allowed to have a representative in council.
Independence Monument
Straddling majestically at a height of 6 meters in the center of Kampala capital City between the Sheraton Kampala Hotel and Grand Imperial Hotel, Independence Monument is a must visit site for all travellers on Uganda Safaris to Kampala.
The Independence Monument is a symbol of Uganda's Independence and this was constructed by former British Colonial Government just before Uganda celebrated its first independence on Tuesday 9th October 1962. The monument portrays a man unwrapping a child and raising the child to touch the sky. The sculpture indicates a new born country that is totally free from bondage of colonialism. Current with the wonderful ornamentation around the monument, one needs to have a camera for the memorable photo shot and capture of the sight.
