Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, has a relatively short but rich history. This town of approximately 3 million is the product of the ancient Buganda Kingdom as well as of 80 years of British colonialism.
In the rush to “modernise”, the city’s built heritage is under immense threat. Currently, there is little appreciation of the value of this legacy.
Even the most iconic buildings and sites are fast disappearing as pressure on land by property developers mounts in this already congested city.
The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU), a small organisation without the means to buy out any such developer, concluded two years ago that the only way to salvage the remnants of this heritage was to sensitise the public about its intrinsic value.
As an initial, low cost step, a map of historical buildings and sites in the city has been developed and is being marketed.
This opens the way to subsequent action to secure the future of Kampala’s built heritage for the next generations.
Read more about the project in our INTO Case study: A journey through time – campaigning to preserve Kampala’s historical buildings and sites