Senior Reporter
The Kabale Regional Museum and Cultural Center, relocated along the Bunyonyi tourist road in Kabale Municipality since 2014, is grappling with a lack of visitors despite its strategic move.
Originally established in 1978 under the Department of Museums and Monuments in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Antiquities, the museum aims to showcase the rich cultural and traditional heritage of the Bakiga people in the Kigezi sub-region.
Despite efforts to make the museum more accessible to tourists, attendance remains notably low, with the majority of monthly visitors being university students conducting research, according to Mukiza Horace Edgar, the site attendant. The lack of interest is attributed to a diminishing emphasis on cultural education among Banyakigezi parents and insufficient government investment in promoting antiquities tourism.
Local residents, such as Gerald Kanyankore and Bright Aheibwomugisha, express dissatisfaction with the Museum Management, citing inadequate sensitization efforts and the absence of traditional items. Ronald Mwebebesa, a boda boda motorcyclist, advocates for free entrance for locals, questioning the logic of charging fees for a government-operated facility funded by taxpayers.
Established in 1978 and reopened in September 2014, the Kabale Regional Museum features a diverse collection focused on ethnography, albeit lacking in archaeology, geology, painting, and photograph collections. The museum covers various aspects of Kigezi, including historical background, migration, cultural history, economic, and political history.
Serving as a repository for information on Kigezi peoples’ origin, ethnic groupings, cultural practices, ceremonies, and endangered artifacts within the greater Kigezi community, the museum faces the persistent challenge of attracting a broader audience, prompting calls for increased awareness and community engagement.
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