Mparo tombs is in Hoima-Masindi in Mparo Division. It is a historical site for the Bunyoro Kitara empire. It is a burial ground for the Omukama Kabalega Bunyoro’s king as well as other royals.
Many people go to the site to perform rituals and to pay homage or seek inspiration from Omukama Kabalega. He is remembered for resisting the British Colonialists.
Kabalega died in 1923. In front of the gates to the tomb is a cone shaped monument painted in white and black. It was built on a site where Sir Emin Pasha first met Kabalega in 1871.
The UPDF soldiers constructed a perimeter wall in 2009 and renovated the traditional huts and tombs inside the site which was formerly Kabalega’s palace.
Kabalega’s tomb is inside a round grass thatched hut which has a wooden door. A visitor must make confessions to the care takers of the tomb before being permitted to access the site.
It is a taboo for one to enter the tomb when you had an extramarital affair the previous night and it’s a requirement and a ritual for every visitor to deposit an amount of money of their choice in the basket before you get a guided tour of the tomb.
Inside the hut is the tomb, which is covered with large cow hide with nine pieces of traditional hoes, lion and leopard skin which served as floor covering in Kabalega’s palace are spread inside the steps of the tomb.
Inside the hut are number of implements which include smoking pipes, clay pots, milk and water containers, baskets wooden bowl spears, sticks, drums, shield, and wooden stools. There are coffee berries, which are said to have been used by Omukama Kabalega and Omukama sir Tito.
