Prime
Former MP documents Busoga history
Determined. Mr Balidawa Kafufu the author of ‘Best of Busoga’ book. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Motive. Mr Kafufu through his book wants readers to appreciate Busoga’s contribution to the national social economic transformation of the country.
Kampala.
Former Kigulu North MP is set to launch a book highlighting Busoga’s historical tradition, the sub-region’s challenges and the untapped tourism sector, among others.
Mr Balidawa Kafufu’s book titled; Best of Busoga was inspired by the desire to present the sub-region in a positive perspective to “contradict the numerous negative media and stereotype reporting that has been going on about Busoga”.
The author, under the Busoga Tourism Initiative, a private sector Busoga tourism promotion body will have his book launched by President Museveni on Wednesday.
“I am aware of the numerous socio-economic challenges facing Busoga sub-region such as increasing levels of poverty, high numbers of school dropouts but it is historical fact that Busoga was at one time prosperous,” Mr Kafufu said in an email interview with Daily Monitor.
He added: “While reflecting on those facts, I embarked on the journey to document Busoga’s successes so as to enable the reader appreciate Busoga’s contribution to the national social economic transformation.”
The book documents Busoga’s culture and historical heritage, tracing the 11 Busoga chiefdoms and their role in Busoga kingdom.
It travels back to the past, traverses her unparalleled educational contribution to Uganda’s intelligentsia and brings forth to the fore Busoga’s tourism and business potential.
It chronicles Jinja’s historical importance in the economic development of Uganda and also tells the story about Busoga’s early schools such as Busoga College Mwiri, Namasagali College, Wanyange Girls, Jinja SS and the role they played in producing Busoga’s leading people.
“I wrote about the various investment, business opportunities and the potential of Busoga in the different sectors such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, transport and education,” Mr Kafufu said.
“I presented Jinja as the ultimate adventure capital for adventure sports lovers but also brought out the various potential tourism and cultural sites in such as Budhagali, Buswikira, Kyando, Mpumwiire, Namakoko in Bugiri and Lubuulo in Bulamogi,” Mr Kafufu added.
It is a hard cover book, 1ft by 1ft in size and 307 pages printed in full colour, a fitting placement on coffee tables.
A quick skimming through reveals interesting facts about Busoga– especially the many firsts done by Basoga.
Some of them are, Dr Kalikwani Abyasaali, the first veterinary doctor in East Africa, Mr James Zikusoka, Uganda’s first civil engineer, Uganda’s first medical doctor, Dr Kadaga Kisadha and Uganda’s first female speaker, Rebecca Kadaga and Kampala’s first African city engineer Alfred Luba.
“When the British explorer John Speke reached Jinja in 1896 and saw the spot where River Nile starts its majestic long journey to the Mediterranean Sea, he wrote back to inform his masters in Europe that he had actually discovered the “Cradle of Africa”, Mr Kafufu said.
He added: This description of Busoga was true then as it is still true today. I hope this book will ignite a genuine and comprehensive debate within Busoga to challenge and ask ourselves a question as to what happened and what should be done to bring back Busoga’s lost glory,” he said.
Mr Kafufu stand
Mr Balidawa Kafufu says his book was inspired by the desire to present the sub-region in a positive perspective in order to contradict the numerous negative media and stereotype reporting that has been going on about Busoga.
