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Preserving buildings designed with old architecture will soon become a money generating scheme for the owners than demolishing them would, the state minister for tourism has said. – Uganda tourism

While launching the Historic Buildings Conservation Trust last week, Mr Serapio Rukundo announced that government is holding discussions with the Saudi Arabian government over how they can help improve on the old architecture so that the buildings can be permanent structures.

“I was privileged recently to meet the Saudi Arabian King and he told me that the history behind most of these buildings is cultural, religious, political or economic. For instance, where are the buildings which the missionaries, Asian traders and explorers built when they arrived here?” He added that the value addition to such buildings in the form of establishing specialised restaurants, serving special cuisine also tell the story about Uganda’s culture.
“We have fresh foods which we have not exploited fully. For instance, what is wrong with serving a four-course meal starting with pumpkin soup at such a restaurant? We would be using these buildings economically where you have a special meal in a special building,” he said.

In an interview with Mr George William Katatumba, the chairman of the buildings trust, nearly every country in the world undertakes to conserve its national heritage and part of the national heritage are the historic buildings which should be conserved for posterity of the next generation.

Mr Katatumba said the buildings that have been recommended to government for permanent conservation are valuable for cultural and architectural qualities. “If we lost these buildings through neglect or demolition, we surely will never see their like again and would have lost national assets that make our towns and cities the most beautiful in the world. Visitors to our country frequently remark on the fine buildings that have survived our historic past,” he explained.

He added that since tourism is among Uganda’s first foreign exchange earners and key drivers of the economy, government should take the lead in recognising the importance of the historic buildings because when tourists come to Uganda for business or as tourists to see the wild life, they enjoy the built environment that has made Kampala a model city for Africa.

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