Respect for culture is fundamental, and it must be passed on. That was the message from Hon. Justice Richard Butera, Deputy Chief Justice Emeritus, as the Ugandan Banyarwanda Trust unveiled plans to build an Ugandan Banyarwanda Cultural Centre in Kampala.
Speaking during a consultative meeting at Mestil Hotel on Friday, 6 November 2026, Justice Butera emphasised the values at the heart of the project.
“Our people believed in God; they had values, which we have a duty to pass on to the children. Respect for culture is fundamental; it is important that it is respected,” he said.
His remarks set the tone for a gathering that brought together elders, community leaders and members of the Ugandan Banyarwanda community, one of Uganda’s indigenous communities listed in the Third Schedule to the Constitution.
The meeting followed the Trust’s first Prayer Breakfast, led by Father Emmanuel Mwerekande, held to thank God for His steadfast grace and to commit the Centre project to prayer.
The proposed Cultural Centre, under the vision “Preserving Our Heritage,” will serve as a home for the practice and documentation of cultural practices and for the preservation of the community’s history and heritage.
It will research, document and preserve the community’s history, traditions and cultural practices, and become a focal point for Ugandan Banyarwanda cultural life. It will also serve as a resource for families, students, researchers, visitors and tourists.
The Chairman of the Trust, Hon. Gad K. Gasaatura, said the initiative would bring together the preservation of historical materials and create opportunities for young people to learn directly from elders and cultural practitioners.
Hon. Justice Nshimye Allan Paul echoed the call to safeguard heritage for the future.
“Our ambition is to build a cultural landmark that preserves our heritage for future generations. The knowledge held by our elders and the history of our community needs to be documented and preserved. We want the next generation to be able to ask questions about their heritage and find reliable information,” he said.
He also thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for leadership that has delivered peace and stability in Uganda, enabling different communities to enjoy the right to culture.
At the heart of the proposed centre will be a museum with archives dedicated to collecting, documenting and displaying historical materials, giving the community’s history a permanent home for study and public knowledge.
Planned displays include traditional musical instruments, household objects, traditional tools for security and economic production such as milk pots and gourds, as well as clothing, photographic and historical records of Banyarwanda in Uganda.
Together, the collections will help explain the community’s cultural practices, their roots, and how over the centuries they have related with other communities in Uganda.
The centre will also welcome the wider Ugandan public through public exhibitions, school visits and cultural activities.
“This history forms part of Uganda’s history. We want other Ugandans to be able to visit, ask questions and learn about our community. We also want young Ugandan Banyarwanda to see their heritage represented in a place where they can study it and contribute to its future,” said Hon. Gashegu Muramira, Deputy Speaker of Mukono District and Chairman of the organising committee.
The Trust says it will continue consultations before seeking financial and institutional support to turn the proposal into a permanent home for Ugandan Banyarwanda culture and history.