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Entebbe: Hub of history
Epic Muzinga Square near the state house. PHOTOS BY E. NTALU- MBWA
What you need to know:
- Entebbe lies on the shores of Lake Victoria, about 40Km from Kampala.
- The National Archive also contains a colour film of the Royal opening of the Owen Falls Dam by Queen Elizabeth of England on Saturday, May 1, 1954.
“It’s a privilege for us to be up here,” said Stephen Mutombokho as we inspected the cannon in front of the Entebbe Club. Mutombokho has worked at Entebbe International Airport for more than two years, but he had never touched or paid attention to the relic yet he walks past it every day to his home. His excuse is “Touching it might be a breach of security since it is close to State house”.
“Look!” said Mutombokho, pointing to the inscription on the gun. It reads: 103, Krupp of Essen, 1917. Around it are dysfunctional fountains, statues of two modern soldiers in camouflage peering through binoculars across Lake Victoria. The two-wheeled gun was captured from the Germans during World War I. The local dwellers prefer to call this area Muzinga square. This is one of the intriguing many attractions in Entebbe.
Fair cuisine
Recently, we embarked on an Entebbe tour to explore the rich history of our neighbourhood. We dined at Airport Guest House in the heart of the historical town and the shadows of the airport.
What is in a name?
Entebbe derives its name from a Luganda word ntebbe to mean seat, and was probably named that because it was the place where Mugula, a traditional Muganda chief in the 18th century used to excercise judicial authority. His seat was carved out of rocks hence ntebbe za Mugula or “Mugula’s seats”. The colonial masters could not pronounce the full name and preferred Entebbbe.
According to the Mamba clan, when Bukulu bwa wada sailed from Ssese to settle along Nyanja Nalubaale (Lake Victoria) shores, he settled on a rock cave called Namilyango which he turned into home. The people feared it because they believed it to be a place for spirits. This earned him a name Mugulanzigi, (he who opens doors)shortened to Mugula. He would sit on carved rocks to arbitrate and preside over village meetings of Kigungu, Bugonga, Lugonjo, Namulanda in the present day Entebbe in Busiro County.
Attractions
Mutombokho encouraged me to visit the Entebbe tourism information office. “First time visitors remark that Entebbe is a modern, clean, green town with friendly people,” he says. He is determined to work with the Entebbe tourism stakeholders to realise tremendous growth as a result of its attractions. “For example,” he says, “hotel accommodation ranges from budget to mid range. Entebbe’s tourism boasts more than 16 beaches, Uganda Wildlife Education Centre- the best zoo in East and Central Africa, oldest golf course and snooker table in East Africa since 1901.”
Besides history, you are invited to enjoy wildlife. “The Mabamba Wetlands on the shores of Lake Victoria is one of the few remaining swamps in the country protected by the local communities. It is home to several pairs of shoebills, Uganda’s most famous avian resident.” he says.
Enticing
Entebbe is not only a suitable filming location, but a town that was once used as a movie title; Raid on Entebbe. The action film based on real life events was shot in California. The 1976 Entebbe raid occurred when resistance groups of PFLP from Palestine and Revolutionary Forces from Germany hijacked an Air France plane from Israel and forced it to land at Entebbe Airport. The Jewish passengers were held hostage as demands were made for the release of prisoners held in Israel jails. The tale is told how Israel paratroopers rescued all prisoners except one. The raid took place in the old section of the airport that has been turned into a tourist attraction. The plane from the hijack is an attraction at Aero beach, though little or no information is availed about it. Cornelius Kodet Lorika, the proprietor of Aero Beach erected a monument of Yonatan Netanyahu, the commander of the Israeli commandos who was killed during the July 4, rescue. His wish is to turn Aero into a model beach and a celebration hub of history.
Missed the archives
Before sundown we headed for the National Archive in Entebbe which holds numerous records from the colonial times such as the 1900 Buganda agreement and 1901 Tooro agreement between the kingdoms and the British. The gatekeeper who couldnot allow us in due to time assured us that the archives contained photos of colonial masters, historical and monarchs. “Did you know that the original 1995 Uganda constitution and the fountain pen the delegates used to sign is here?” he asked rhetorically.
Memoirs. The old airport houses history from the 70s.
The National Archive also contains a colour film of the Royal opening of the Owen Falls Dam by Queen Elizabeth of England on Saturday, May 1, 1954. This was an excursion of exploration at the arrival point for Uganda’s guests. I regret that we never visited the ancient well of Naggadya, Uganda’s first High Court where Omukama Kabalega who resisted colonialism was tried among others. Entebbe is a rich history.
Did You Know…
Entebbe lies on the shores of Lake Victoria, about 40Km from Kampala. It is a town in Wakiso District with stunning vistas of the largest lake in Africa and second largest freshwater body in the world. In 1893, Sir Gerald Portal a British Consul who arrived in Uganda a year earlier, founded Entebbe as a military post and main port to Uganda. Entebbe became Uganda’s first capital city called Port Alice in 1894. It was in 1903 when it was declared a township after the capital was transferred to Kampala.
