Activities >> Sites

Uganda: KASUBI Tombs

The site

Kasubi Tombs, major spiritual site for the Baganda people of Uganda, are located on a hill within Kampala. These royal tombs serve as the burial ground for the deceased Kings of the wealthy Buganda Kingdom since 1884.
The site covers an area of 30 hectares and consists of a main courtyard, encircled by a series of buildings and trees. A vast agricultural land containing plants and herbs that have medicinal and other uses surrounds the courtyard. Many people who take care of the maintenance or perform rituals inhabit the site. The masterpiece of this ensemble is a gigantic thatched hut using purely vegetal materials. The building is circular in plan and has a dome-like shape. Its massive scale can be seen in its external diameter of 31 meters and an external height of 12 meters. Other similar tomb sites can be found in Uganda, but none of them is as large or as authentic as the Kasubi Tombs.

Objectives

- offer a practical and scientific experience to the artisans, conservators and local actors to improve their competence and prepare the team to other similar conservation actions
- implement conservation works
- prepare the nomination file for enlisting the site on the World Heritage List
- prepare a management plan

Allocated budgets (US dollars)

	UNESCO World Heritage Fund	Department of Antiquities and Museums	Buganda Kingdom administartion	Total per year
1998	20.000	2.000	1.000	23.000
1999			5.000	5.000
2000	30.000	2.000	10.000	42.000

Results

Training
- 12 people trained on specific conservation techniques at the occasion of conservation works organised on the site
- training of a staff member of the Department of Antiquities and Museums on site documentation and preparation of a nomination file
Conservation
- many conservation and preservation works done on site (drainage, wall repairs, roofs, …)
- conservation of the traditional know-how mastered by two of the traditional clans in the Kingdom ; this programme has allowed to valorise the role of the clans which is not always well recognised.
- purchase of basic tools and equipment
Nomination/Management
- preparation of a management plan
- the file for nomination of the site on the World Heritage List has been submitted to UNESCO in May 2000
- the nomination process has helped to valorise the various stakeholders and clarify their roles
- the nomination process has also helped to gather a vast historic, photographic and technical documentation on the site

Complementary activities within the Projet cadre

- participation of Remigius Kigongo Mugerwa, DAM, to the Africa 2009 regional course held in Mombasa, Kenya (5/07 - 3/09/1999)
- participation of Dr. E. R. Kamuhangire, commissioner for Antiquities and Museums to the Africa 2009 Director's seminar held in Mombasa, Kenya (30/08 - 01/09 1999)

Implemented Activities

1997	March	Identification: 2 days	DAM / CRATerre-EAG
1998	June	Programming : 1 week	DAM / Buganda Admin. / CRATerre-EAG
	December	On-site training : 15 days	DAM / Buganda Admin. / CRATerre-EAG
2000	February	Preparation of the nomination file	DAM / Buganda Admin. / ICCROM / MUK /CRATerre-EAG
	March	Assistance to the preparation of the nomination file : 7 days	CRATerre-EAG
	April	Assistance to the preparation of the nomination file : 8 days	CRATerre-EAG
	May	Assistance to the preparation of the nomination file : 8 days	ICCROM / CRATerre-EAG
		Maintenance works	Buganda Admin.