Kasubi Tombs, World Heritage Site Reconstruction Kicked off
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 16 March 2011 00:00
- Written by Joyce Namutebi
The rebuilding of Kasubi Tombs, a World Heritage Site that was gutted by fire a year ago kicked off.
The exercise was launched by the Katikkiro of Buganda, Eng. JB Walusimbi, at the World Heritage Site in Kasubi, a Kampala suburb.
The project will involve rebuilding of the main house (muzibu azaala mpanga) and several other houses.
The project manager, Jonathan Nsubuga, said it would cost over sh2b (($1m).
Nsubuga, who made the architectural drawings, said the houses would be rebuilt to their original state using materials such as grass and reeds. He, however, said fire, smoke detectors and firefighting equipment would be fixed to prevent fires.
The work is to take about a year and is being undertaken by Pius Mugerwa Mugalasi of Omega Construction.
Over a year ago, the tombs where four of Buganda’s kings were buried, went up into flames destroying most of the regalia. The kings who were buried there are Walugembe Mutesa 1, Basamula Mwanga, Daudi Chwa and Edward Mutesa 11.
Following the fire, the Government set up a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by Justice Stephen George Engwau to establish the cause of the inferno. The commission was also tasked to assess the security status at the time of the incident in addition to inquiring into the capacity of the persons in charge of the site then. The probe team has finalised its report. It will be handed over to the gender ministry under whose docket, culture falls.
Handing over the files containing the bills of quantities and other documents to the contractor, Walusimbi said his office had the final say on the job. He said the site would be enclosed so that during construction, people do not just simply access it.
Walusimbi also said the contractor had one month within which to prepare, but in the meantime cultural functions performed by the royals would continue at the site. Other cultural functions to be performed at the tombs must be approved by the elders’ council, he said.
Walusimbi said he would soon appoint committees that would assist the project manager in his work. He said they were eagerly awaiting the report of the probe team.
Walusimbi thanked the people for contributions towards the reconstruction and appealed for more financial assistance. The first deputy premier; Ambassador Emmanuel Sendawula requested that the report should be made public. Christine Guwatudde, the permanent secretary in the gender ministry, said senior government officials would announce the Government pledge.
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