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Jinja, Uganda | URN | Football fans travelling across Busoga for the ongoing MTN-Masaza Cup tournament are doubling as tourists, visiting little-known hills and other attractions located near the playgrounds hosting matches across the kingdom’s 11 chiefdoms.
The tournament, which has attracted 14 teams grouped into four pools, has deliberately named each group after a major tourism site in Busoga in an effort to draw attention to attractions that have received limited visibility in recent years. The four groups are named after Nendha Hill in Iganga District, Bukowe Hill in Namutumba, Mawembe Hill in Luuka and Kagulu Hill in Buyende.
Organisers say the arrangement has been designed to combine sports and tourism, allowing thousands of spectators travelling to watch football matches to explore nearby cultural and natural attractions. Nendha Hill, which hosts the first group, is an important cultural site in Kigulu. It serves as a water source for surrounding communities and is also regarded as a coronation shrine where the royal chief of Kigulu is first unveiled before being presented publicly.
The hill is also associated with the Abaise Igaga clan, one of the prominent clans in Busoga. The Nendha group comprises Bukooli Namayingo, Busiki, Bugweri and Bukooli Bugiri. The second group is named after Bukowe Hill in Namutumba District, which is known for its cool surroundings and is used by residents and visitors as a place for relaxation and meditation.
Families and groups of residents reportedly spend weekends at the hill, enjoying the environment before returning home the following day. The Bukowe group comprises Bugabula, Bukono, Budiope and Bunha. Mawembe Hill in Luuka District is the third tourism site used to name a group. The hill is known for its distinctive rounded rocks positioned at different levels, offering visitors views of the wetlands and surrounding landscapes stretching across Luuka, Iganga and Kamuli districts.
The hill is also home to elders who narrate stories about Busoga’s history to visitors. The Mawembe group consists of Kigulu, Bunhole Bunhanumba and Butembe. The fourth group is named after Kagulu Hill in Buyende District, one of Busoga’s prominent tourist attractions.
Kagulu attracts hundreds of climbers from across the country. The site has also received government support, including the construction of stairs and concrete shelters to make it easier for visitors to reach the summit. The Kagulu group comprises Luuka, Bulamogi and Buzaya.
Evelyn Nandege, a resident of Luuka District, said the tournament has provided an opportunity to expose Mawembe Hill to people who previously knew little about the site. “Mawembe Hill has numerous stories for the world, but we lack well-streamlined platforms to easily market them,” Nandege said.
She said the Masaza Cup’s emphasis on local tourism has encouraged spectators to visit the hill in organised groups, something that was uncommon before the tournament. Nandege hopes the increased interest will continue after the football tournament and eventually develop into a sustainable source of income for communities around the tourism sites.
Daisy Nabulo from Namayingo District said travelling to watch matches has also enabled fans to explore attractions along their routes. She said spectators often make stopovers at tourism sites before proceeding to the football grounds. “With its crowd-pulling capabilities, football has the potential to reignite tourism sites that have not been prioritised by both government and private sector players over the years,” Nabulo said.
Amin Bbosa, the Busoga Kingdom Minister of Sports, said the tournament is being used as more than an annual sporting event. He said sports tourism was initially the main objective, but organisers later expanded the concept to deliberately market tourism attractions across Busoga. “This tournament is not a ceremonial ritual conducted annually, but rather a platform for creating long-lasting impact within communities,” Bbosa said.
He said Busoga has numerous tourism attractions spread across its districts, but many have remained largely unknown to potential visitors and investors because of limited visibility. Bbosa said the tourism component of the MTN-Masaza Cup had already started generating interest during the first month of this year’s tournament. He expressed optimism that continued exposure of the sites will encourage investment and eventually lead to the development of coordinated tourism plans for the entire Busoga sub-region.
