On the outskirts of Kampala, atop one of its famous hills, is a tremendous structure of thatch, intricately woven and supported by tall beams. Outside one must remove shoes. Inside the visitor sits on woven floor mats and observes an altar.
Elderly women lie on mats by the walls to each side.
The altar is separated from the visitor by a low fence supporting beautifully crafted spears, along with photographs and sketches of the past Kabakas, kings of the people of this part of Uganda. The guide explained to Charles Musisi and myself that some people come to this former home of the Kabakas, now a burial house for some of them, to pray, an ancient method of communications. There are quite a number of options for email via high frequency radio in Uganda. With Esther Lwanga of the Agricultural Research Information Service of Uganda, we were searching for the solution that offered the best prospect for reliable technical support at an affordable price. Esther will be continuing negotiations with Bushnet, one of the local providers, next week.