The Legend of Musambwa

For generations, a myth has persisted within the Buganda Kingdom about a supernatural being endowed with mystical powers capable of bringing a locomotive to an abrupt halt in the middle of its journey. Dubbed “Musambwa gw’e Namboole,” or the supernatural being of Namboole, this enigmatic entity would allegedly exercise its power whenever a train passed over the railway line near its designated base.

The phenomenon baffled engineers and train operators, who would resort to placing stones on the railway tracks to coax the immobilized locomotive back to life. The mystical association runs so deep that the Uganda national stadium, located in the Bweyogerere region, was initially named after this captivating entity. The stadium was later renamed the Mandela National Stadium in honor of the revered anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, but the lore of Musambwa remains etched in the local narrative.

The Enchanted Base of Musambwa

Nestled amid a serene landscape of thickets and trees, the base of Musambwa stands as a testament to Buganda’s rich cultural heritage. Located close to the northern gate of the stadium, the site is adorned with small grass-thatched shrines known as “masabo,” and a fence woven from reeds adds to the rustic charm. An appointed caretaker, traditionally referred to as the medium of the supernatural being, oversees the sacred grounds. A Buganda official flag and a prominent signpost signal the presence of Buganda’s Namboole supernatural being to all who pass by.

A Clash of Forces

The saga took an unexpected turn when government soldiers, under military orders, descended upon the area as part of a broader effort to secure the land surrounding the Mandela National Stadium. While numerous shanties, places of worship, and even a police station fell to the ground in the wake of this operation, the shrine of Musambwa remained untouched.

This striking contrast raised questions about the fate of the supernatural being’s base. Interestingly, the caretaker and the Ministry of Culture at Mengo, the heart of Buganda’s administration, have maintained a conspicuous silence regarding the military’s actions. The shrine’s existence hangs in the balance, with speculation abounding on whether the government will permit its coexistence with the national stadium or opt for its removal.

Ownership and Compensation: Unanswered Questions

Amid the uncertainty, a cloud of ambiguity shrouds the ownership of the land on which the shrine stands. The relationship between Buganda’s royal administration and the government, specifically concerning this piece of land, remains a matter of conjecture. The question of whether the kingdom received compensation for the land if they indeed owned it further adds to the puzzle. Notably, when the stadium was constructed with the assistance of Chinese partners, compensation was awarded to former landowners—however, some returned to sell land they had already been compensated for, taking advantage of lax oversight.

In this dynamic tale of cultural heritage, modern development, and mystical intrigue, the fate of Musambwa’s base stands as a symbol of a society balancing tradition and progress. As the Mandela National Stadium undergoes renovations, it remains to be seen whether this longstanding enigma will continue to be an integral part of the Buganda narrative or become a vestige of the past

Located in Ruboona, Savani Resort is the latest addition to the hospitality investment taking place adjacent Lake Bunyonyi, the third deepest lake in the world. Nestled in south-western Uganda, Savani is pinned between Kisoro and Kabale. It is particularly close to the border with Rwanda. Savani currently serves as a camping gate away, and steadily frogging forward into becoming one of the most sought-after resorts that dot the beautiful lake.  

The bundle of beauty is owned by James Lutaaya aka James Son of Luta, a man with wings all over the globe. He is famed as a nature lover and wildlife enthusiast, philanthropist cum investor who has already sunk in a fortune to give the resort a homily comfy feel, in tally with the surrounding beautiful scenery. In the pipeline are a modern and chic 100 resort with villas and suites complete with a spa and different dining areas. This will offer a variety of atmospheres and cuisines as well as additional leisure activities. 

Lake Bunyonyi has been named one of the safest lakes in Africa. There are no crocs, hippos, or risk of bilharzia. Instead, the island is home to over 200 species of birds. While there, one need to grab a notepad and binoculars and spend hours discovering everything from weaverbirds to grey-crowned cranes. It’s the perfect place for bird enthusiasts. 

Sadolin Wallguard ® is unlike other paint brands in that it not only offers the smooth finish and colour expected from high quality paint but also features unique MouldexMoisture Resist technology.

Developed by an international task team to meet the harsh local climatic requirements, Sadolin Wallguard’s MouldexMoisture Resist has a dual purpose.  It allows harmful trapped moisture to escape while creating an impermeable barrier that stops outside moisture from getting in.  This breakthrough technology makes Sadolin Wallguard’sperformance superior to other paints and provides the assurance that paint work will resist mould attack for longer.

Commenting on the new product, Nathalie Sweeney, Marketing Director AkzoNobel Sub-Sahara Africa said; “We are thrilled to launch Sadolin Wallguard ®, leading a comprehensive range of protective paints for walls, roofs and exterior surface preparation to address the damaging effects of humidity.”

“Humidity and mould can really make a house look old before it’s time but now with the new Sadolin Wallguard® with Mouldex Moisture Resist, walls will look cleaner and mould-free for longer,” Sweeney added.

Deon Nieuwoudt, the Commercial Director East Africa at AkzoNobel said that as Grand Masters of Protection since 1907, Sadolin does not only provide exceptional colour and finish to customers but also meets the modern exterior protection needs required from premium paint products.

“The new Sadolin Wallguard ® with Mouldex moisture resist specially made for Uganda offers ultimate protection and it gives longer lasting protection in extreme humidity,” said Mr. Nieuwoudt.

The new range of exterior paint products also boasts Sadolin Roofguard®, a pure acrylic paint that offers roof tops excellent protection and durability; Sadolin Rainsheild®, a flexible, fibre-reinforced water and crack resistant surface preparation waterproofing product for areas prone to water leaks and Dampshield®, a low-odour, quick drying water based preparation product that stops the destructive effect of rising and penetrating damp.

These 4 new specialist exterior products together with well-known Sadolin Weatherguard® take exterior protection in harsh and humid climates to a whole new level.

Some of the new features added include contributions payments for voluntary savers and employers whose payments are less than shs4m monthly, member contacts update, retirement benefits projections, employment history, e-statement and direct contact to Relationship Manager.

Addressing media and selected members at Café Javas, Patrick Ayota, the Deputy Managing Director, said that the app was an affirmation of the Fund’s commitment to transparency to its members by giving them access to monitor their NSSF accounts anytime, anywhere.

“Our plan is to improve our business processes to make them more efficient & convenient to members through innovations by 2025.The new app not only increases efficiency and service delivery to our customers, but also puts the power and control of their money in their hands” he said.

The upgraded app also gives members an opportunity to track their savings in a more detailed way and hold their employers accountable regarding their contributions.

“We expect to increase the compliance levels now that members are able to access more details of their account statement easily, like when last contributions were made, how much they received in a particular month, total contributions made by each of their employers including the first and current ones.” Ayota said.

In future, more features will be added to the app to include both member and employer registrations without having to NSSF offices. This will be through partnerships with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and Uganda Registration Services Bureau. I

n addition, eligible members will be able to initiate their benefits claims and track progress using the NSSF Go app.

The NSSF Go App is part of a variety of electronic channels the Fund introduced to improve its service delivery.

Other e- services channels include; The E-collections portal that allows employers to remit their employees’ contributions directly to their NSSF accounts through the Bank, within 24 hours, Mobile money payment platform, NSSF Payway and SMS alerts.