In terms of the history of Buganda, or “Uganda,” the Twekobe Palace is the Kabaka of Buganda’s official residence (King’s Palace). It is part of the Lubiri Palace Complex, the main palace complex for the King of Buganda.
The Twekobe (Kabaka’s Palace) is the most notable location in terms of the history of Buganda or Uganda. It is the Kabaka of Buganda’s official home (King’s Palace) which is a part of Lubiri, the main palace complex of the King of Buganda.
Twekobe is located in Mengo, a suburb of Kampala, the country’s capital.
Twekobe’s Brief History
King Daniel Mwanga 11, who became the legal heir to his biological father Mutesa 1 in 1884, established the king’s palace in Kampala Mengo.
In Buganda, Twekobe which means “working together “still stands today. By the time it was constructed it had united over 52 clans to form the Buganda kingdom.
The King’s palace was constructed in 1922, during the reign of King Daudi Chwa, who replaced King Daniel Mwanga 11 in 1887 after the latter was banished to the island of Seychelles.
He had to assume the throne because it couldn’t remain vacant without a king ruling it, and since he was only a year old at the time, he needed assistance from Sir Apollo Kagwa, Stancious Mugwanya, and Zakalia Kisingiri until he turned 18 years old.
At this point, he was old enough to rule the kingdom in his own right and with authority.
The palace has four main gates: the first is the Wankaci gate, which is only for the King, the Queen, and the prime minister to use; the second is Kalala, where the King used to meet every beautiful woman to marry; the third is Nalongo, which is a mother of twins and where the Kabaka’s gift can be received; and the fourth is Ssabagabo, which is only used by the King to enter the palace for personnel matters.
Furthermore, there is a route that connects the two Mengo palaces Twekobe and Bulange. This road passes through Bulange in the same manner as Twekobe. It is how the Lukiko building Bulange can be reached.
And the passage that was established amid the circle is known locally as Natawetwa. Only the King of Buganda utilizes it.
Due to the palace’s ownership of a sizable plot of land, over 56 trees were planted on its outside. Each of these trees represents a different Buganda clan. The Twekobe also has over 154 trees, each of which has a special significance.
Tourists attractions in the Twekobe Area
The Mengo Hill
The palace is situated on top of Mengo Hill, providing breathtaking views of the city.
It also has other attractive selling points both inside and outside the gate, such as the fire palace, which is meant to burn continuously day and night and requires that the person in charge hail from the Nyonyi Nakasinge.
Idi Amin’s Torture Chamber
The torture chamber was constructed between 1971 and 1972 when Idi Amin was in power and serving as the acting president of Uganda. The Israelites were used to create the chamber because they were skilled builders at the time, according to Idi Amin.
He initially constructed an armory, which he eventually converted into a torture room. The chamber was constructed with a 5-inch interior diameter, a metallic door, and an electrified pool of water.
Its purpose was to shock anyone who attempted to escape the cell with electricity right away. With no windows or ventilators, each cell had to house several hundred people. It was a horrifying environment.
At the Twekobe tourists will learn about Idi Amin’s torture chamber, where thousands of men and women were executed in one cell for no clear cause.
Thousands of people have already visited the palace to show that it was indeed the location where Idi Amin Dada tormented millions of people. Other people visit to learn more about Idi Amin’s past.
The Ekyooto Fireplace
Mr. Kyeyune, who resides in Kyagwe, is the man in charge of the fireplace known locally as Ekyooto. It’s a fire that burns continuously day and night.
The person in charge of this must be descended from Nyonyi Nakisinge, also known as “Bird.” Mr. Kyeyune’s job is to gather wood to maintain the fire.
The Bulange and Kasubi Tombs
The Bulange and the Kasubi Tombs are the other two remaining physical representations of Buganda’s former greatness and strength, leaving just the Twekobe.
One of the real sources of Buganda’s pride is Bulange Mengo. It is located next to the palace of the Kabaka, which sits on one of the Baganda hills.
It is also the place where we find the parliament and administrative headquarters of the kingdom of Buganda. It’s the ideal location to learn more about the history of Buganda and Uganda as a country because they are identical.
The Kasubi Tombs are the final resting place for four kabakas (kings of Buganda) and other members of the Baganda royal line. They are about 5 kilometers (3 minutes) northwest of the city center.
As a result, the location continues to be significant to the Ganda people on a spiritual, political, and architectural level.
The Lubiri
The Kabaka “king” of Buganda’s royal compound, known as Lubiri. It is also situated in the Mengo neighborhood of Kampala. One can also say that it’s an enclosed area encircling the Twekobe.
The Kabakas home is enclosed within the 260-acre property by a 9-foot barrier wall made of clay bricks. It has a few matooke plantations, a school, and additional buildings for the King’s residence.
It has historically served as the hub of Buganda’s civilization. This is supported by both local mythology and historical chronicles of explorers who visited Buganda. The likes of John Speke and Henry Morton Stanley.
There, the most talented poets, instrumentalists, dancers, and musicians were raised to the highest calibers. The palace spread the rules of appropriate attire and decorum. There also, issues relating to culture and clan rivalries were resolved.
Conclusion
If you want to learn about the culture of the Buganda kingdom, in particular, you must visit the Twekobe Palace on Mengo Hill.
There, you’ll see one of Kampala’s seven magical hills including Amin’s torture chamber and war cannon. There’s much to learn about Buganda’s history, aspirations, and accomplishments of the Buganda people.
Tourists can visit right away to witness one of the most important African traditional sites, “The Twekobe King Palace,”
, which is part of Lubiri palace.){kind=link}