Kasubi Tombs

The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi sit on Kasubi Hill, about 5 km north-west of central Kampala. Kabaka Muteesa I built a palace here in 1882, and when he died in 1884 it became his burial place. Breaking with the old custom that each king was buried at his own site, three later kabakas were laid to rest here too: Mwanga II, Daudi Chwa II and Sir Edward Muteesa II, the father of the present kabaka. UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List in 2001, describing the main building as one of the most remarkable structures made from plant materials anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

That main building, Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, is a domed thatched house roughly 31 metres around and 7.5 metres high. Its straw roof rests on 52 rings of palm fronds, one for each of the traditional Baganda clans. Inside, bark cloth and royal mementos fill the space, and the tombs themselves lie in a sacred area hidden behind a bark cloth curtain. On 16 March 2010 a fire destroyed the major buildings, and the site was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Reconstruction began in 2014, funded partly by a public appeal in Buganda and partly by Japan through UNESCO, and the site was removed from the danger list in 2023. Pilgrims and visitors were able to enter the rebuilt tomb house again in 2026.

The approach is part of the experience. You pass through a gatehouse into a small courtyard with the drum house, then into the main circular courtyard enclosed by a reed fence. Widows' houses and tombs of royal relatives line the courtyard, and members of the royal family and kingdom officials still live on the site, which is a living place of worship rather than a museum. Bark cloth fig trees mark the boundary, and clan members continue to make bark cloth and practise traditional thatching here.

Guided tours explain the history, the clan system and the rituals connected with the tombs, and the official Visit Kampala listing lets groups reserve a tour in advance. Security screening was tightened after the fire, so expect checks at the entrance. Dress modestly and follow your guide's instructions about where you may walk and what you may photograph, as parts of the site are sacred.

Allow one to two hours. Kasubi combines well with the Bulange and Mengo Palace on the Royal Mile and with Namirembe and Rubaga cathedrals, all on neighbouring hills to the south. A boda boda or taxi from the centre is the simplest way to get there.