Two weeks on the job earned us a few likeminded friends. What they needed all was a person to coordinate and motivate. I did that role pretty well and our first outing was not much delayed. While choosing Kasubi Tombs for a Sunday trip, we knew the place as a world heritage site by UNESCO and nothing more. But the visit helped us to know that it is where four Kabakas (Buganda Kings) were buried.

Usually polluted air was fresh and light on the Sunday morning. Nearly deserted roads presented added pleasure to our morning walk.  Nakasero market, no doubt was the most convenient place for all of us to assemble.  Sunday was not a reason for the market to be calm, and so it was not. Thirty minutes drive by two non-bannered taxis took us to Kasubi hills.

Without wasting any moment we walked through BujjaBukula – the gate of Kasubi tombs, to access its administrative office. Kasubi being an UNESCO heritage site might be the reason for charging ten dollars per head for our entry to the tombs. By making the payment we obtained right to enter along with certain conditions to follow. Men had no restrictions to walk around but ladies were instructed to wrap a piece of cloth around their waist, which they have provided. The cloth was long enough to cover that part of body from hip to ankle. On our left immediately after the administrative office was a small hut dumped with so many drums and other instruments. It was explained to us as Ndoga-obukaba - the Royal Drum House of Kabakas. The main drums kept in the house were Mujjaguzo (only played when a kabaka is enthroned), Bantadde (used for announcing the arrival or departure of royal family), and Kanaba (to announce the death of a royal family). Kabaka is the term used for addressing kings in Buganda. Responsibility of maintaining and keeping the royal drums were entitled to Kawuula. Unlucky we were to miss an interaction with the existing Kawuula then, due to his minor illness.

We walked out of the drum house to a large open space with a fire place at the middle. Fire that is never snuffed out symbolizes the life of Kabaka (the King), which is the responsibility of Musoloza. In Buganda, Kings are never considered to be dead instead they are considered to be out for a jungle walk – a never returning walk. I took a minute to gaze the surroundings to see every construction and every structure made up of wood or plant materials. Floor was wrapped in brown bark clothes, pillars were made of wooden branches, and the roof was obviously grass thatched.

The open space festooned a clear path to the main hut which was described as the royal palace of Kabaka – Muzibu Azaala Mpanga. The royal palace was like a pendulum on a chain. There were many huts, smaller in size, creating a full circle around the open space. We visited almost every hut to see some being occupied and some being abandoned. Those huts were for the wives and families of Kabaka. Finally to Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, which carries the meaning of ‘A tough one brings forth powerful ones’. This was originally built by Ssekabaka King Suuna II in 1820 and rebuilt by Ssekabaka Mutesa I in 1822. An area that was covered by long wide bark clothes inside the royal palace was considered as the sacred forest. It is where the four ancient Kabakas rest in peace. Outside the sacred forest, there was a stuffed leopard displayed for the visitors. Once it was a pet of Kabaka but now stuffed and locked in a glass box. There were many instruments and weapons in display, which were used by the Kabakas. We prayed for the souls of Kabakas and left Kasubi hills to conclude that Sunday.