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Umukuuka we Bamasaaba seeks US tourism investments in Mt Elgon Caldera
Mbale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Umukuuka III uwe Bamasaaba Uwelukoosi Jude Mike Mudoma has interested United States businesses to participate in the development of tourism at the world’s largest intact caldera, located on Mt Elgon in Uganda. The mountain, shared with Kenya in the East African Community (EAC), is the 7th highest in Africa (4,321 m) and has the largest base of any volcanic mountain worldwide (4,000 sq. Km). The Elgon caldera, with a diameter of 8 kms, is also the widest in the world.
Despite the endowments in the Mt Elgon region, tourism data shows that more tourists visit Murchison Falls National Park (partially in Western and partially in Northern Uganda) then Queen Elizabeth and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest national parks (both in Western Uganda) than the Mt Elgon National Park in Eastern Uganda. The Annual Report on Visitation to Uganda National Parks for the 2019 and 2020, published by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MTWA) shows that in 2019, before the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid19), Murchison received 103,665 visitors, Queen Elizabeth had 77,995, Bwindi had 36,341 but Elgon got only 3,519. In 2020, during the Covid19 lockdown, Murchison still received 33,194, Queen Elizabeth had 24,362, Bwindi had 9,829 but Elgon only got 1,006.
Umukuuka Mudoma, while in the US to attend a week-long series of activities marking the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as 47th President of the US recently, met businesses that he interested in tourism investments in Eastern Uganda, particularly around the Mt Elgon caldera. Some US businesses, according to Umukuuka III’s Information, Media and Communications minister, Uweshirifa Alfred Geresom Musamali, have now proposed to send their delegations to visit the Umukuuka and the Bamasaaba in general soon to further evaluate the prospects of partnering with the Government of Uganda (GoU) and with the Bamasaaba to invest in the tourism opportunities surrounding the caldera and other Mt Elgon natural endowments in their ancestral lands.
“When Uwelukoosi Mudoma was in Washington DC, he interested giant agencies in the hospitality industry to come for investment in the Caldera’s tourism industry as well as in other parts of Bugisu,” said Musamali.
“We are sleeping on a huge cash cow and we would certainly appreciate US business interest in developing tourism products around the caldera and other areas. This can transform Bugisu if it is well marketed through documentation of cultural heritage, advertising and promotion campaigns, including in the US. And with this foreign support the sky is the limit”.
The Umukuuka advocated for tourism development to especially centre on transport, accommodation, feeding and appreciation of nature.
He proposes that existing roads and trails to the caldera be upgraded to ease access, shuttle services be established from both the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Kenya and Entebbe International Airport in Uganda to provide direct connections to Mbale City on the south-western slopes of the mountain, and the capacity of guides be built to handle high value tourism clients.
The tourism plan includes development of eco-lodges and camping sites within the caldera’s vicinity as well as partnerships with local communities to offer sustainable, environmentally-friendly home stay services as part of the various accommodation options. This way, local restaurants would also be established to serve authentic traditional cuisine as well as picnic areas and camping facilities with cooking amenities. This would support local food vendors and community-led initiatives.
“Uwelukoosi Umukuuka III also wants nature appreciation activities such as guided nature walks and hiking tours, birdwatching and wildlife spotting excursions, cultural performances and community-led workshops,” said Musamali.
The Umukuuka and the Culture of the Bamasaaba
Bamasaaba are a Bantu ethnic community with ancestral lands on the south-west (Uganda) and south-east (Kenya) slopes of the mountain (locally called Masaaba). The Bamasaaba (descendants of Masaaba, after whom the mountain is named) in Uganda are also called Bagisu by virtue of their lands falling in Bugisu, one of the districts that formed Uganda at Independence in 1962. Although there are also Babukusu is Uganda, the expression mainly applies to the Bamasaaba in Kenya. The Umukuuka is the cultural leader of the Bamasaaba in Uganda, Kenya and the Diaspora.
The main economic activity of the Bamasaaba is cultivation of Arabica coffee, bananas as well as a variety of vegetables and fruits on Mt Elgon’s fertile volcanic soil slopes. Their most valued heritage rotates around “Imbalu”, the compulsory, unanesthetised and public circumcision of adolescent males to initiate them into manhood.
“Imbalu” is launched by Uwelukoosi Umukuuka at a grand ceremony held on the first weekend of August of even years (Years of Boys) at Mutoto, the Bamasaaba heritage centre on the outskirts of Mbale City. After Mutoto, individual initiation ceremonies move from sub-county to subcounty according to a long-established schedule for out of school boys (Nabyalo) and are repeated county by county in December for students (Namasomero).
”Imbalu” attracts thousands of visitors who also use the opportunity to climb Mt Elgon and its minor ridges endorwed with caves, hot springs, waterfalls as well as unique fauna and flora. Visitors can hike to the highest peak of the mountain, Mt. Wagagi, or can circle the rim of the caldera or climb down to the crater floor to appreciate nature. However, tourism data shows that while tourists have traditionally come from Europe and China, US tourists are yet to be attracted in adequate numbers to Mt Elgon.
If the Umukuuka’s tourism investment plan succeeds, local and foreign investors will have put in place adequate tourism facilities by August next year (2026) when the next Imbalu ceremonies are launched. The 2026 festivities will be the last under the Umukuuka III who was installed in August 2023 to serve a five-year term of office.
