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Kwija omu Bukama bwa Bunyoro-Kitara EBIKUTUFWAHO OMU BUNYORO KITARA. Welcome to
Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom BUNYORO-KITARA KINGDOM PROFILE Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom in mid-western Uganda lies
1°N to 2°N and 30°45' East to 32°25' East of the Equator. It
enjoys a rich history spanning over 1000 years. Presently it is
composed of three districts of Kibaale, Masindi, and Hoima. It
covers a total area of 21,376 sq kms, one third of which is covered
by water mass. It has the advantage of a central titularship of the
King, His Majesty Rukirabasaija Agutamba Solomon Gafabusa Iguru 1. The Kingdom has a population of about 800,000
people (1997 population projections). It contains several ethic
groups, the majority being ethnic Banyoro. The local language spoken
is Runyoro with some occasional Swahili. The Kingdom is sparsely
populated with a density of 37 people per square km. The literacy
rate is 46% for men and 55% for women. The economy of Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom thrives on
a number of economic activities, prominent among which is large
scale commercial farming in tobacco, sugarcane, tea, cereals like
maize, rice and ranching. A large area of the Kingdom is covered by
tropical rain forests: Budongo, Kasongoire in, Masindi, Bugoma and
Wambabya in Hoima and Kasaato in Kibaale districts. The forest
reserves support various economic activities including lumbering
(mahogany, ironwood and other hard wood timbers) and bird tracking.
The Kingdom is also rich in wild game in national game reserves,
including Murchision National Park, Karuma, Bugungu and the Biiso
Eco-tourist center. The area has 43% of the national bio-diversity
in the Muchision National Park conservation area alone. The Kingdom's inhabitants belong to three main
religions, namely Protestants, Catholics and Muslims. About 3% of
the population live in urban centers. 77% of the people live on
subsistence agriculture with an income per capita of 143,000 per
annum, however 60% of our land is still virgin land. As a cultural head, the King is assisted by his
Principal Private Secretary, a Cabinet of 21 Ministers and Orukurato
(Parliament), however the Kingdom, as an institution since
restitution by the: Restitution of Traditional Rulers Statute of
1993 (and later confirmed by the 1995 Constitution), is restricted
to cultural and development advocacy matters. However, through
non-profit Kingdom institutional organs, such as Bunyoro Kitara
Kingdom Youth Foundation, it is mandated to enter into partnerships
with local, national and international organizations and individuals
with demonstrable interest in fostering development in the Kingdom. Among our major objectives is to provide and
promote sustainable socio-economic emancipation, a strong cultural
heritage of our people in Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom. -Promote electronic information technology
application and utilization through the establishment of a
multipurpose community telecentre. -Promote sustainable development by education and
human resource development in all sectors, through training. Cultural sites and tourist attractions: The
Kingdom has a variety of attractions which include: the royal tombs
at Mparo, Katasiha Fort, Karuziika Palace, hot springs at Kibiro,
African Village, Murchison Falls National Park, rare species of
butterflies, apes and medicinal tree species, etc. Please visit our Virtual
Museum. Bunyoro Kingdom is also blessed with mineral
wealth, including oil at the Lake Albert rift valley, gem stones:
tourmaline, ruby, red and green garnet, etc, and other minerals,
titanium, tin and gold, as well as iron. His Majesty has done some
gold prospecting. Random pit sampling yielded a minimum of 3 grams
to 19 grams of alluvial gold per one cubic meter. This is also
contained in the geological report of 1995. For more information please write: Mr Rashid Kazairwe, Project Coordinator,
Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Youth Foundation, P O Box 1 Karuziika Palace,
Hoima, Uganda designed by workshop trainer
Kato Stephen |
webmaster jedstern@yahoo.com
