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Masaka locals protest over city sculptures
The upgraded Masaka City round about. The city dwellers say this does not represent Masaka, which is best known for growing coffee and bananas. Photo | Malik Fahad Jjingo.
What you need to know:
- The locals argue that the sculptures do not depict a true picture of what Masaka stands for, being an agricultural city known for matooke and coffee growing.
A section of residents in Masaka City are up in arms over the sculptures put at the main roundabout, the gateway to the city.
The locals argue that the sculptures do not depict a true picture of what Masaka stands for, being an agricultural city known for matooke and coffee growing.
In November last year, Masaka City authorities embarked on upgrading roundabouts on major roads entering the city, starting with the Nyendo Roundabout on the Kampala-Masaka Highway, where they erected sculptures of a clock, drum, crested crane and a lion.
This came after city authorities entered into a partnership with Capital Outdoor Advertising Company Limited to remodel the roundabout as a part of a wider plan to beautify the city.
According to the partnership, the private firm had to put a clock at the roundabout, beautify the area, and also put different sculptures that symbolise Masaka as an agricultural city, among other things.
However, the locals say the city authorities and their partners deviated from the original plan.
According to Mr Bbeelo Kasumba, the speaker of Buganda’s Buddu County (Masaka), they had suggested to city council the right sculptures to put at the roundabout but were surprised that their ideas were neglected.
“We now ask the city council leaders to reconsider their decision and include some of the sculptures that connect with ancient Masaka,” he said in an interview on Wednesday.
Mr Kasumba added that Masaka has been the “capital city” of Buganda Kingdom since 1962, “and we expect that roundabout to have a monument that shows the connection of Buganda with Masaka City, in addition to the clock,” he said.
“The Kabaka’s (king of Buganda) voice was key in granting Masaka a city status. We think this link and relationship should be upheld since Masaka is metaphorically the capital city of Buganda. We ask leaders to think about other sculptures that can reflect this, just like Mbarara is known as a city for cattle keepers,” he added.
The Kabaka’s chief in Buddu County referred to as Pokino, Mr Jude Muleke, re-echoed the need to have the banana and coffee included among the sculptures at the roundabout.
“These two crops, banana and coffee, are very instrumental in this region because matooke is our staple food and coffee is the main cash crop. So, the value of these crops can never be underrated,” he said.
Ms Zahara Nalubyayi, a councillor representing Kimaanya Ward in Masaka City Council, said they were also surprised as councillors to see the construction works at the roundabout completed without sculptures of banana and coffee.
“We unanimously agreed in council that sculptures of both crops be put at that roundabout but we don’t know how that left the mind of the designer,” he said.
Masaka City Council Speaker Tony Ssempijja, however, said they have engaged the contractor to ensure they reconsider the residents’ concerns.
“People should not worry about the sculptures already put at the roundabout, we are going to plant real banana suckers and coffee seedlings, and it will be the responsibility of the city leadership to take good care of those crops,” he said.
The other city roundabouts that are going to be remodelled include Kijjabwemi Roundabout on Masaka- Mbarara Highway, Masaka Secondary School Roundabout linking Yellow Knife Road to Jethabhai Road and another one at Katwe opposite Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.
