At the world’s largest intact caldera, Umukuuka III uwe Bamasaaba Uwelukoosi Jude Mike Mudoma has interested United States businesses to participate in the development of tourism located on Mt Elgon in Uganda. The mountain borders Kenya in East Africa as the 7th highest in Africa (4,321 m) and has the largest base of any volcanic mountain worldwide (4,000 sq. Km). Mt Elgon caldera is also the widest in the world with a diameter of 8 kms.
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 despite e endowments in the Mt Elgon region. For the 2019 and 2020 annual Report on Visitation to Uganda National Parks, 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 lock down, Murchison still received 33,194, Queen Elizabeth had 24,362, Bwindi had 9,829 but Elgon only got 1,006.
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, Umukuuka Mudoma met businesses that he interested in tourism investments in Eastern Uganda, particularly around the Mt Elgon caldera. According to Umukuuka III’s Information, some US businesses 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.
Musamali said that 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.
He continued saying that they are sleeping on a huge cash cow and they 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.
“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.” He proposes.
To offer sustainable, environmentally-friendly home stay services as part of the various accommodation options, the tourism plan includes development of eco-lodges and camping sites within the caldera’s vicinity as well as partnerships with local communities. This way, local restaurants would also be established to serve authentic traditional cuisine as well as picnic areas and camping facilities with cooking amenities thus would support local food vendors and community-led initiatives.
Musamali said that Uwelukoosi Umukuuka III also wants nature appreciation activities such as guided nature walks and hiking tours, bird watching and wildlife spotting excursions, cultural performances and community-led workshops.
The Umukuuka and the Culture of the Bamasaaba.
In Uganda, Kenya and the Diaspora, the Umukuuka is the cultural leader 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). In Uganda, the Bamasaaba (descendants of Masaaba, after whom the mountain is named) are also called Bagisu by virtue of their lands falling in Bugisu, one of the districts that formed Uganda at Independence in 1962. The expression mainly applies to the Bamasaaba in Kenya although there are also Babukusu is Uganda.
Cultivation of Arabica coffee, bananas as well as a variety of vegetables and fruits on Mt Elgon’s fertile volcanic soil slopes are the main economic activity of the Bamasaaba. To initiate bamasaaba manhood, their most valued heritage rotates around “Imbalu” the compulsory, unanesthetised and public circumcision of adolescent males.
At a grand ceremony held on the first weekend of August of even years (Years of Boys) at Mutoto, “Imbalu” is launched by Uwelukoosi Umukuuka the Bamasaaba heritage centre on the outskirts of Mbale City. According to a long-established schedule for out of school boys (Nabyalo) and are repeated county by county in December for students (Namasomero), Mutoto individual initiation ceremonies move from sub-county to subcounty.
”Imbalu” attracts thousands of visitors who also use the opportunity to climb Mt Elgon and its minor ridges endowed with caves, hot springs, waterfalls as well as unique fauna and flora. To appreciate nature on mt Elgon, 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. US tourists are yet to be attracted in adequate numbers to Mt Elgon although tourism data shows that while tourists have traditionally come from Europe and China.
By August next year (2026), local and foreign investors will have put in place adequate tourism facilities if the Umukuuka’s tourism investment plan succeeds. To serve a five-year term of office, the 2026 festivities will be the last under the Umukuuka III who was installed in August 2023.
