Kabaka’s Palace Kampala Uganda

Kabaka’s Palace Kampala Uganda is located on one of the 7 hills in Uganda’s capital – Kampala and it’s called Mengo Hill. This palace is home to the king of Buganda kingdom, one of Uganda’s oldest and still standing kingdoms.

The palace has two roads that connect to the main road of Mengo that also has two roundabouts where one connects directly to the main gate of the palace. That one is called Bulange Road and the route which is in the middle of the roundabout is called Nakawetwa which is also used by the king of Buganda himself to access his palace.

Kabaka is a title given to the king of the Buganda kingdom which is also ruled by two Kings’ i.e. physical and spiritual persons. The physical king has the responsibility to perform all the special traditional/cultural rituals before he is announced to be the king. The rituals are usually done on the Royal Drum. As for the spiritual king, he is represented by the Royal Drum and Regalia named the “Mujaguzo”. The royal drum is sounded when the new king of the kingdom is born, this notifies everyone that a new King is born in the palace and is sounded by a specific clan. The royal drum is also the same drum used to announce the death of the Physical King. Buganda as a kingdom believes that kings don’t die, they just get lost in the forest making a royal death.

Kabaka’s palace kampala uganda

In 1884, Kabaka Mwanga II was the successor of Kabaka Muteesa I who was his father. Later on in 1922, Kabaka’s palace was constructed and named “Twekobe” which was during Kabaka Daudi Chwa’s reign. He was King Daniel Mwanga II’s successor in 1887 who was taken to exile on Seychelles Island he passed behind and left King Daudi Chwa who was still an infant. The following people helped in crowning the king of Buganda at no cost; Sir Apollo Kagwa, Mugwanya Stanislous , and Zakaria Kisingiri. These were the regents who still helped the infant king in signing of the famous 1900 Buganda Agreement with the British Government during colonial times.

The palace has got over four gates and each of them has a purpose. The first gate is mostly seen and accessed by many people and it’s the main gate amongst the four of them it’s called “Wankaci Gate”. The second gate is called “Kalala Gate” which is next to the Wankaci gate and it’s where the king expects to find the beautiful woman his going to marry. The third gate is known as “Nalongo Gate” where gifts for the king pass and are brought to him. The last gate is known as “Ssabagabo Gate” which is used by the king for his leisure time in and out by a secret car. A few people could notice his departure or arrival.

Kabaka’s palace Kampala Uganda main gate has a fire point that is supposed to keep burning on a daily basis and the clan responsible for that is one of the elders of the Nyonyi Nakisinge which means “a bird”. Kabaka’s palace is always welcome for any Uganda Rwanda Safaris tourists, the Buganda kingdom is a very welcoming kingdom that you won’t want to miss this chance of meeting clan leaders and see different things in the palace.