Technology and Art of Iron Working in Uganda

IRON WORKING IN UGANDA

By Mwesiga Elly

Introduction

Iron working or production is traced to have existed for a very long period of time between the 11^th and 16^th centuries that is the age of some of the tools. The Iron Age seems to have arisen from the adoption of food plants, the introduction of iron working and the development of slash and burn agriculture system using iron hoes and other iron tools like axes.   

The salt lakes region of South western Uganda could be said to have been one of the best iron producing regions in the pre-colonial East Africa with the most famous iron producing districts of Mwenge in Kabarole district, Buhweju in Bushenyi and Kayonza in Rukungiri district. Among these, Kayonza was also the most famous throughout the region.

Initially iron smelting was organized on a lineage basis each lineage having its own site on the hill where the whole clan mined. Before extracting iron ore, the lineage head made a sacrifice by slaughtering an animal, usually a goat which could be eaten by the members of the lineage at his home. The young men would dig iron ore from the rocks called Obutare using iron hammers to break the rocks into small pieces. Meanwile the charcoal for use in the smelting would have been prepared from particular kinds trees.

Before smelting the iron ore, shallow, clay-lined pits known as amaziko were dug in the ground that would act as furnaces. Small gullies were made on the sides of the pits where tuyere (pipe made of clay) would be placed. Joined to the tuyeres were pairs of wooden bellows called emijuba that were conical in shape with the apex fitted into the tuyere and the base shaped like shallow smoking pipes wrapped in soft goat or sheep skins.

Finally, 2 sticks would be fitted into the soft skins and these would be used by the workers to blast air into the furnace. After the furnace was prepared, charcoal would be placed on its surface. The pieces of iron ore would be put on top of the charcoal and another layer was put on top. Finally, fire would be lit in the furnace from the entrances where the tuyeres were placed. When the iron ore was heated, it would melt and percolate down to the surface of the furnace at the mouths of the tuyeres.

It should be noted that iron ore locations in most of the places belonged to the rulers of the states and kingdoms. Whenever the ruler wanted the iron implements such as spears and arrowheads, he would order the smiths to make them. The iron smiths like potters and traditional medicine men were highly respected and wealthy.

Most of other important Iron Age sites in Uganda apart from the ones in the salt lakes of western Uganda include Ntusi and Bigo bya Mugyenyi.

Ntusi

It is found 56 km west of Masaka town in the central Uganda and dates to the 11^th and is the oldest of the sites associated with Bachwezi. There are 3 archaeological features; 2 man-made mounds and a basin locally known as Bwogero.

Bigo bya Mugyenyi

It is found 16 km north of Ntusi and the discoveries from there included pottery, clay kerbs, beads, and the iron tools like a tagged arrowhead, a broken bracelet of oval shape, a spear and a broken knife as well as grindstones.

Importance

The production, distribution and trade of iron goods contributed to changes not only in economic but also in the socio-political complexity of the societies which led to the rise of states and the kingdoms since most of them had the introduction of the arms that would be used in defense for the protection of the kingdoms.

The making of the sacrifices before the opening of the place for iron ore mining, helped in bringing the people of the clan together that promoted unity and cooperation and strengthening the family bonds that still help people to live together in the communities and maintaining the traditional activities.

Most of these sites have very important for research on the archaeological features that are found there. The researchers have been trying to find out how iron smelting was done and most of the tools that were made. It is through research that most of the iron tools have been discovered from the sites

The surrounding communities have benefited from providing the services to the tourists like the foods and beverages in the accommodation facilities as well as provision of the market to the produce like the food stuffs and the souvenirs.

Some of these places being connected to the Bachwezi legendary, they are still used as the active shrines for the people from the surrounding communities that makes them of great importance to them and hence the need for their protection.

According to the Ankole tradition, Ntusi later became the capital of the Chwezi Wamala who succeeded his father Ndahura who had resided at Mubende hill. This therefore gives a cause for the protection by the Banyankole as the former capital.

Just as a hoe signifies the agricultural prosperity of the people, or again as the smiths’ hammer signifies strength and skill, so the iron spears has signified power and commanded in an equal obvious way. This therefore indicates that iron smith gave the kingdoms power and pride as they were regarded as the source of strong weapons.

There is a potential for tourism development in these sites as people can go to some of these earthworks for the heritage tourism on how the people used to carry out the iron smelting using the traditional means.

 Dangers of iron production

The production of iron tools permitted more forest clearing for agricultural land, higher agricultural productivity and population increases that has greatly affected the industry.

Because of land ownership and since there has been increased population around these areas like Ntusi, most of the areas have been cultivated that makes the protection of these sites difficult.

The introduction of the metallic materials from the western countries has made the traditionally made tools to be replaced and being regarded as backward that has made the work of the smiths to keep on disappearing and being replaced.

Lack of sensitization has made the work of the iron smiths not be recognized and the smiths themselves to live it because they do not see the importance of practicing it since they can not out compete the modern industries. Therefore there is a need for education and sensitization on the importance of the traditional activities like iron working.

 

References:

Collet. D P & Robertshaw P T (1980): early Iron Age and Kansyore pottery: Finds from Gigo falls South Nyanya: Azania; Journal of British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi Kenya Volume xv

Gray J M  Riddles of Biggo, Reprinted from Uganda Journal Vol. II, No. 3 (pages 226-233)

Haland. R & Msuya C S (2000): Pottery production, iron working and Trade in Early Iron age: A case study of dakawa, East central Tanzania; Azania; Journal of The British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

Kamuhangire. R E (1993): The Pre-colonial History of salt lakes Region of South Western Uganda c. 1000-1900 A.D (Thesis)

Lanning E C (1970): The journal of British Instituyte of  History and Archaeology in East Africa, oxford university press Volume V

 MTTI (2007): Uganda gifted by nature

Posnansky M : Bigo bya Mugyenyi offprint from Uganda Journal; The journal of The Uganda Society, Kampala

Sutton J E G (1990): A Thousand years of East Africa, British Institute of Eastern Africa, Nairobi Kenya

Vogel J O (1975): Azania; A Journal of The British Institute of Eastern Africa, Nairobi  Kenya

Tourism sectrets of the Albertine Rift

NATURAL AND CULTURAL SITES IN THE ALBERTINE RIFT

By Mwesiga Elly

The Albertine rift has sites that are categorized as natural, historical, colonial, traditional, and archaeological and palaeontological.

1.1 Natural sites

Sempaya hot springs

These hot springs are found in the Semliki river valley in the area occupied by the national park below the escarpments on the road from Fort portal to Bundibugyo town. The hot springs are located at 2 areas where one is referred to as “the male” and the other “the female”. The hot springs attract people from different areas because of their healing powers.

The Bamba who are the occupants of Bundibugyo area carryout cultural ceremonies at the hotsprings. Apart from the cultural importance, they are good tourist attraction in Semliki National park.  

Amabere ga Nyinamwiru

It is located about 9 km west of Fort portal town in Kabarole district. As the stalactites drop the calcium carbonate to form the stalagmites below, they form these features that look like the hanging breasts. They are locally referred ton as Breasts of Nyinamwiru who was the mother of Ndahura, the first Muchwezi king of Empire of Kitara. In the caves are also the Nyakasura falls.

The Batooro believe that the place still has the powers of the Bachwezi and has to be protected as the scared place. It also attracts the tourists from different areas to listen to the legendary stories of the place and the hanging features in the caves. The surrounding people have benefited from the tourists that go there in form of market and employment.

Semwana rock shelter

It is found about 2 km west of Kakumiro trading center and I km east of Munsa earthworks in Kibale district. The rock shelter acts as an active shrine of the Bachwezi cult apart from being the tourist attraction. The shrine is found underneath the rock shelter which can accommodate about 200 people. The numeral 9 within Bachwezi cult is observed at the shrine for example the cylindrical offertory objects are 9, feasting period among Bachwezi is 9 days and the mourning period is 9 days.

As a healing place, the divine worshipers to the shrine place their offering on top or at the bottom of the platform. Therefore the tourists can also be encouraged to visit the cave by including it on the travel itineraries and producing the brochures about the site. More research can also be carried out on the area discovering how the rock shelters can into existence.

  

Rwenzori Mountain national park

The national park is located in Uganda-DRC border in the western part of Uganda. Kasese is 433 km (7 hours) northwest of Kampala via Mbarara on the main tarmac road. The left turn to Nyakalengija is 10 km north of Kasese on the Fort Portal road. An airstrip is located at Kasese. It is famous for the mountaineering activities.

Semliki game reserve

It is also found in the border with DRC in Bundibugyo district. The park can be reached from Kampala via Mubende and Fort Portal. A longer route goes through Masaka, Mbarara, Kasese and Fort Portal. The drive from Fort Portal towards Bundibugyo takes from two to three hours on a rough road. Among other activities in the park include nature walks and hiking.

Kibale forest national park

This is another forest national park in Uganda lying at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains in western Uganda. It is 35 km from Fort portal; this park is linked to Queen Elizabeth National Park, but contains a unique moist-forest habitat with an extremely high diversity of animals and plants. Kibale is predominantly mature tropical rainforest, where some trees attain heights of 55 meters.

1.2 Historical sites

Fort Gerry (Portal)

It is found in the Golf Club course in Fort portal town. It was originally called Fort Gerry until it was renamed Fort portal in 1890 after Sir Gerald Portal, the British Commissioner who declared Uganda a British protectorate. The fort is of great historic importance as it portrays the period when the colonialists occupied the place. It also has the education importance as it can be researched about by many schools and the people around the place can make the place protected and charge the tourists for visiting the fort.

Katasiha fort and cave

It is found 3 km from Hoima on the Hoima-Butaiba road. It is surrounded by a ditch that was established by Colonel Colvile in 1894 when he led an expedition against Omukama Kabalega. The cave near the fort was used by Kabalega’s forces to fight off Colonial invasion and is used for recreation and picnic facilities. The historical importance is that more people can learn more about it and history and it brings the memories of Omukama as well as the pride to the kingdom itself.

Kitana Fort

This is the site of a British fort that was constructed in 1894. It was also around this time that Kibiro fort was being constructed. It is situated on the Kigorobya-Kibiro track at a distance of about 2.4 km north wet to the junction of the track with the Hoima-Butiaba road in the centre of Kigorobya. The fort can be used as the tourist attraction to the place when it is protected and also more research can be carried out from there by different scholars as a memorial site.

1.3 Traditional sites

Kibiro salt processing village

It is an Iron Age site that is situated along the eastern shore of lake Albert 1 km down the escarpments, 9 km from Kigorobya town council which is also 22 km from Hoima town. It is the mixed site of natural and archaeological site. There is the fishing village that has depended on the salt mining in the area using the traditional means and knowledge.

There are different roles that are distributed to different groups where the women are for salt production and the men for fishing. This therefore means that the whole community around Kibiro has depended on the area for the living. The salt itself has curative properties and is preferred to industrial salt that gives the area a lot of respect and importance among the Banyoro.

Besides the salt deposits at Kibiro, there is the oldest grinding groove on the large boulder above the hot springs at Mukihanga that are very important both to the surrounding areas and also to the tourists for healthy purposes. There are rituals that are performed at the place on scared pools at Mukamira and Mutebere where even human sacrifices used to be performed.

The process of salt production itself can act as a tourist attraction where the people use the traditional means in salt production that starts with the preparation of the area on the surface (Embuga) or salt gardens on to which the loosened soil vicinity can be displayed.

Kibiro area is an important place for its archaeology as a lot of things have been discovered that date millions years ago like fragments of grinding stones, beads, smoking pipe fragments, cowry shells among others. All these have contributed to the research activities about the area.

The evidence of trade in Kibiro by the pieces of glass, beads and copper bracelets which were obtained help to indicate the redistribution of the trade goods that were carried out the rulers in form of barter trade. This is important in determining the economic activities that used to take place in the Kibiro area.

Munsa za Kateboha

It is found about 3km north of Kakumiro trading center inn Kibale district. The site derives its name from a legendary king called Kateboha who, traditions state was the Bachwezi ruler of the region. The significant feature at the site is the rock that measures 2 meters deep that is known as Kateboha’s beer pot.

It is very important because Munsa earthworks have been turned into an active shrine by the Bachwezi cult and most people go there for healing and divine worshiping. It can also be developed as a tourist attraction which would benefit the surrounding local communities.

Mparo Tombs

Located 2 km from Hoima town on Hoima-Masindi road is the Mparo Tombs that house the burial grounds of Omukama Chwa II Kabalega, Sir Tito Winyi, princes and princesses of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom. This was also the former palace of Omukama Kabalega. Within the grounds of the site is the Emin Pasha-Kabalega memorial, a cone-shaped monument that marks the meeting place between Emin Pasha and Omukama Kabalega on September 22 1877.

Mparo Tombs has been an important place among the Banyoro for a long period of time for being the burial ground of the kings of Bunyoro and has been very important for research purposes to different scholars.

Karambi Tombs

They are located 6km to the south west of Fort portal town on Fort portal-Kasese road. It is a burial ground of the three kings (Abakama) of Tooro kingdom and these are Kyebambe Kamurasi, Rukidi III and Olumi Kaboyo II found in the three separate tomb houses. Outside the houses are the tombs of the princes and princesses of the kingdom.

Like the other tombs in most of the kingdoms in Uganda, Karambi tombs are also very important element in Tooro kingdom for being the burial grounds of the Kings of the Kingdom. Cultural and heritage tourism has been there and research carried out on the site.

Kabarole palace

This newly renovated house is the palace of Omukama of Tooro and is located on Kabarole hill near Fort portal town. The name Kabarole which means “Let them see” was given to that place as it has the good view of the sorrounding areas of the kingdom. Outside the house are other temporary grass thatched structures in which the king performs the annual anniversary coronation ceremonies known as Empango

The place is very important to the whole kingdom mainly because it is where the coronation ceremonies (Empango) take place and the palace for the king. As the palace has the caretaker and the guide who takes people around and telling the stories about the kingship and the whole kingdom that makes it a good tourist site for the people from outside Tooro.

The Hoima palace

The palace known as Karuzika is the place for the king of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom and it is situated within Hoima town. Apart from the palace itself, there are other temporary structures in which the king (Omukama) performs Empango in the compound of the palace. It is also important as the official home of the Omukama and used for coronation purposes.

1.4 Palaeontological sites

Nkondo site

The site is found 12 km south of Kaiso on the Eastern shore of Lake Albert. It is important as the palaeontological site for the mammalian fossils.

The site has been very important for most of the palaeontological research has taken place there for example the fossil plants that revealed the state of the environment about 5-4 million years ago (M.a) and fossils of Hippopotamus imagunculus of about 6M.a

Kaiso site

It is also found on the Eastern Lake shores of Albert and is found in the South eastern side of Ndondo. It has been very important for palaeontological research where plant fossils have been discovered of about 2.5 million years ago and fossilized horns of the extinct long-horned Buffalo of about 2.6 M.a.

There are other sites near the Kibiro salt processing areas like Kyamwana, Nyangi, Hoimao, Nana, Kiryamboga, Tonya, Kigorobya and Kitana. All these areas are very important for their fauna fossils. There are other areas in the Lake George and Edward like Bukoma, Rwamato, Hamukungu, Irangara Island, Rubona, Kasenyi, lake Bunyampaka, Katwe and Mweya peninsular.    

References:

Graham. C (1996): Kibiro; The salt of Bunyoro, past and Present, The British Institute in Eastern Africa, Queensberry place, London.

Kamuhangire. R E (1993): The Pre-colonial History of salt lakes Region of South Western Uganda c. 1000-1900 A.D (Thesis)

MTTI (2007): Uganda gifted by nature

Robertshaw. P (2001): The age and function of the Ancient earthworks of western Uganda, Uganda journal Volume 47

Robertshaw. P (2002): The Ancient earthworks of western Uganda: capital sites of a Chwezi Empire?, Uganda journal Volume 48

New tourism potential at Fort Patiko in Gulu

FORT PATIKO- BAKER’S FORT

The fort which is built with stones and  had headquarters for the officers, soldiers and the stores for food and ammunitions is standing o n top of a hill in Gulu. Originally established by the slave traders, the fort is 30km north of Gulu town on Ocecu Hill in Patiko Sub-county, Aswa County in Gulu District. This is where slaves and ivory collected from all over East Africa were kept and sometimes sold by the Arab slave traders. Baker and his successors, Gordon and Emin Pasha, occupied the fort between 1872 and 1888 and effectively used it in their campaign to stamp out the trade in humans that was rampant in the area. When Baker arrived in the area on 6^th March 1872, he found that the slave hunter called Abu Saud had established his headquarters.

This was Baker’s 2^nd visit to Patiko (Fatiko in his books) since 1864 when he came with his wife Florence (formerly Barbra) as a private explorer on his way to Bunyoro where he became the first European to see Albert Nyanza (Lake Albert). Bake arrived with him 212 soldiers, 400 porters, 1078 cattle and 194 sheep. He was again this time accompanied by his wife and his nephew Lieutenant Julian Baker of the royal navy.

Baker returned from Bunyoro where he was unsuccessful as he was rejected by Omukama Kabalega and found when the fort had been attacked by Abu Saud’s officers but Baker’s army fought them. On 28^th August his men begun to dig a defensive ditch which was 8 feet deep and 8 feet wide and in front were the sharpened wooden stakes. This means that the 3 sides of the fort defended by the ditch measured in all 400m and the fourth or west side was formed by the guards.

The ammunition store on the rock was roofed with earth from the termite hills to make ti fire proof and consisted of an inner store and an outer room for the guards. The stores built for millet and sesame were probably roofed with grass although there is no record of the materials used for the buildings.

The area that enclosed by Baker’s defensive ditch is not the same as the area now enclosed because after some time possibly late 1874 under Gen Gordon, the ditch was extended to the north more doubling the defended area. It is still possible to see the line of the earlier demarcation which is the original northern limit of Baker’s defenses.

The enclosed area must have been very fully occupied with his several hundred soldiers and porters, and the numerous grindstones scattered around the enclosed area and Oceco hill remind one that there must have been many women there as well to grind the corn and do the cooking.

The Bakers themselves are said to have lived in two houses just at the base of the rocks, along the south side of the enclosure were huts for unmarried soldiers and the married quarters were on the west side close to the Baker’s private quarters. However it is believed that none of the rooms at the fort was Baker’s bedroom as it  is said that he used to sleep under a big rock near the observation post.. The officers’ lines were along the east side and through the center of the camp was a road leading from the present entrance to the north gate. The various pits and mounds scattered about area are probably the remains of the huts and the pit latrines. Apparently

Inside the fort are two rooms of about 10 square meters each. Residents say that was where the slave traders stored their food and ivory. On one wall there is a plaque inscribed with the words: “FATIKO 1872–88, founded by Sir Samuel Baker, occupied by Gordon and Emin.” It is believed that it was Baker put this plaque on the wall. He misspelt Patiko, writing Fatiko, instead.

Standing west of the fort, is a plain, flat rock where screening of the slaves used to take place. The healthy and docile would be retained, while the sick and the stubborn would be executed at a spot 200m southwest of the fort’s compound. At the execution ground, slaves would either be beheaded or face the firing squad depending on the nature of their crime. Dark spots, believed to be blood stains, can still be seen on the rock as well as marks made by axes as the slaves were beheaded. To the south of the fort are two big caves which were used as prison cells.

That level ground to the west is also believed that it was used as a parade ground and on Muslim feast days, it became an open-air mosque.

The ground immediately to the east of the fort lies Patiko Ajulu internally displaced people’s camp, with a population of over 10,000 and the Patiko Sub-county headquarters. This place used to be the cemetery and has been farmed for years but one may still find the fragments of the small pots which were according to the Acholi custom, placed on the graves.

To the south of the Oceco hill was the cattle enclosure and to the north, at a distance of about 100m was the southern extremity of Abu Saud’s camp.

 The fort is surrounded by several hills — Ajulu, Ladwong, Akara, Abaka and Labworomor in the north and Kiju in the south.

Northeast of the fort is a UPDF detachment which used to protect the displaced people’s camp from rebel attacks. The main entry to the fort is in the east, past the main quarter guard. The fort is surrounded by a man-made trench about 8 feet wide and 8 feet deep. As you enter the fort through a narrow tunnel, a cool breeze welcomes you into the fort compound, which is dotted with exotic trees like the fig tree (for making bark cloth) plus some local trees like Jack fruit, odugu, cokoro, yago, kibur and kworo.

To the north of the fort are two rooms which were used by the slave traders as an armory. About 100m away stands a rock about 150m high. According to local folklore, the slave traders used the rock as an observation post to spot enemies coming to attack the fort. Under that huge rock, lives a huge tortoise.

Baker apparently had no water supply within his fort. According to the local tradition, his people used a well which is about a kilometer north of the fort, just east of Ajulu hill. This well or waterhole is now disused although it is still brim full of water. The reason is that among the Acholi, it is not considered wise to continue to use the well which one’s ancestors have been in the habit of using. The people around the area now use another waterhole that is a few meters away from the old hole.

 From the time of occupancy by the slave hunters, Acholi elders recall, the sites of the two prisons under the rocks, one for men and another for women and also the execution rock which is just behind Baker’s seat. There was also no burying of the dead as the bodies would be thrown down the steep cliff that could be cleared off by the hyenas.

Bakers left for Cairo in August and he had left Major Abdallah at Patiko and it seems the place was later deserted soon after the departure of Emin who was appointed by Governor Gordon in 1878

Fort fact standings are that it is on a 150 square mile piece of land, the fort is 136 years old. From colonial rule until the end of 1979, Baker’s Fort was under the Ministry of Community Development and Antiquities. At the peak of the insurgency in northern Uganda, the fort was abandoned, but in 2006, the Patiko local government re-opened the treasure.

There are other forts including Dufile, Wadelia and Nimule in the west Nile region that were also built to extend the Anglo-Egyptian administration up the Nile river from Sudan.

Reference

Hamo S (1972): Guide to Baker’s Fort, Patiko, The Department of Antiquities, Ministry of Culture and Community Development, Kampala

MTTI (2007): Uganda gifted by nature

http://odongoalex.blogspot.com/2008/04/sir-samuel-bakers-fort-patiko 

Nyero Rock Paintings, Roots of civilization?

REPORT ON NYERO   ROCK PAINTINGS

Introduction

Nyero is found 9 km west of Kumi town in Kumi district in Eastern Uganda. It is an early Iron Age site and the rock paintings are found in 3 rock shelters, some of the paintings represent canoes, animals and other art impressions.

The visitor arrivals at Nyero

Type of visitors	1999(from 27/6/99)	2000	2001	2002 (up to 16/8/02)	2003 (from 3/2/03)	2004	2005	2006(up to 31/10/06)	Total
Locals	80	319	281	211	265	337	319	208	2020
Schools	4	9	27	10	5	10	50	7	122
Non-residents	41	111	100	80	71	80	110	88	681
E/Africa	3	27	2	5	2	4	3	1	47
Total	128	466	410	306	343	431	482	304

From the table above, the number of the visitors to Nyero has been increasing slightly since 1999 fort example the years that have the complete figure show an increase from 466 in 2000 to 304 in 2006 up to the month of October that indicate that the numbers may have been higher that the ones indicated here.

The results also show that there is an increase number of local people that go to the place which is an indication that the people surrounding the place have got to appreciate the attractiveness of Nyero and want to discover the uniqueness of the rock art in the area. This is very important in a way that it helps the area to keep receiving the visitors even the low of off-peak seasons. The figures show that the local people contribute highly with the figure over 2000, followed by the foreigners with the arrivals of about 700, the schools children with about 120 and lastly the people from the rest of the East African countries (about 50).

The results also show that there are few schools and school groups that go to visit the site as the numbers are still very low as the highest number was in 2005 that received about 50 school children and the low ones were in 2000 with the number of about 9.

The table also shows that there are few people from the other East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi as they show a very low number of the arrivals. For the period indicated in the table, only the highest number was in 2000 when the site received about 27 visitors.

Though there has been an increase in the visitor arrivals at Nyero, the numbers have been fluctuating between the years for example the numbers from 466 in 2000 to 410 in 2001 that shows a decline in arrivals. The figures then rose to 431 in 2004 and then an increase to 482 visitors in the following year.

The study also indicated that most of the foreign tourists were from the United Kingdom, followed by the Germany, then United States of America, Denmark, Ireland, Italy and other countries most especially from the European countries. The rest of Africa also indicated the low visitor numbers with few from Nigeria and South Africa.

Comments and recommendations from the visitors

From the table above, the local people have the higher arrivals to the site but the study showed that most of the local people are from the surrounding areas of Kumi, Soroti and Mbale districts while the rest of the country has few people that go there. This therefore indicates that the place is not well known to other people that calls up mass advertising and publicity.

There is a need for the government to integrate such things as cultural and natural heritage into the school curriculum such that the children can learn more about them and the ways on how they can protect the national heritage. The low turn up of the school children may be due to the fact that it is not very relevant to what they study.

There is need to target the East African countries to come to the site as the figures show that the people are still few. This can be done by the tour operators and travel companies through including the site in designing the itineraries and in the brochures as this can also help during the off-peak seasons.

The majority of the visitors urged that the place needs to be preserved as some were saying that it should not be let to die, it should not be destroyed, it should be kept safe and preserved for future generation.

Some of the visitors commented on the site not having the site office that can provide enough information to the visitors and enforcement of the low and easy protection of the site.

There is a need to rehabilitate the area and good maintenance in terms of cleanliness and slashing the whole place

There is a need for directional signage at the site such that the people can easily move allover the place and that the marks should be put at the entrance to help as people get in.

There is need to improve on the facilities for the visitors like the toilets and even their maintenance in terms of cleaning. Other facilities that are needed at the site include the areas where the visitors can sit and have rest. This therefore means that the area needs the shade for sunshine.

The other facilities needed at the site include camping facilities, and refreshment facilities like a canteen.

More information is needed to be provided top the people who visit Nyero and even the ones that may need to visit as some visitors to the site were asking how old the paintings are an indication that there is no information provided about the site. This should be the work of the ministries concerned like the Ministry of Tourism Trade and Industry, Uganda Tourist Board and the tour operators.

More restrictions are needed in form of the warnings like the ones restricting the visitors from touching the rocks with their hands which may rub off the paintings after a period of time.

There is need for the government support in terms of providing the funds for the maintenance of the place and paying the guide who works at the place. The government can also help in the provision of the promotional materials like leaflets and brochures.

More activities can be introduced around the place like rock climbing, nature walks and bird watching that can bring in bigger numbers of the tourists in the area hence enriching the welfare of the people around the area.

The fees should be put in place such that the money collected can help in the maintenance of the place and payment of the guide/ caretaker that is at the place.

More protection of the area is needed at the site as the areas needs fencing and to be marked to protect it from human interference and activities.