Kasubi Tombs

BUJJABUKULA
The gate house Obuganda bujjjabukula or Bujjabukula was where King Muteesa 1 lived before the
construction of the main house at the centre of the tombs. It would later become home to the royal
guards. One lived on the Left and the other on the right side and a middle walkway that led to a
small courtyard. The royal guards were from selected clans of the kingdom and are succeeded by a
member from their particular and respective lineage.
NDOGA-OBUKABA
In the small courtyard is house Ndoga-Obukaba, a safe keeping space for the royal drums, the
biggest drum called mujjaguzo was the king’s drum and also played at his enthronement. These
drums were a mode of communication, they carried with them information of what was happening
around the royal palace. When drum kanaba was played for instance, the subjects of the king knew a
member of the royal family had died.

MUZIBU AZAALA MPANGA
In the main courtyard (Olugya) is the central building Muzibu Azaala mpanga, the biggest grass
thatched house in the world, standing at an impressionable 25ft high. It is well partitioned inside
with the biggest divide made from bark cloth. This bark cloth curtain conceals behind it the actual
burial grounds of the four kings called kibira and is not accessible to the public except the king and
his spiritual guardians and the administrative assistant, the Katikkiro. On the roof of this house are
52 rings, made of grass straw. This architecture carries meaning to the Buganda people as the rings
are representative of the kingdom’s 52 clans.