In the year 1971, the president of Uganda, General Idi Amin, contracted Israelites who were the best available engineers to build a store for arms (armory) near the Kabaka’s palace which had been turned into a barracks. The construction took 8 months and upon completion, he turned the armory into the strongest military base on the land. The military dictator, eventually turned the place into a torture chamber where thousands of Ugandans lost their lives.
The victims at the site were mainly former ministers and loyalties of Kind Edward Mutesa II and whoever opposed the government. President Amin’s intelligence department was very strong and once one was suspected to disagree with him, such a person would be arrested, blindfolded, driven around Kampala for about 3 to 4 hours then after transfer to the torture chamber. The reason for driving around was to confuse the victims and make them feel like they are taken to a faraway place.
The prison was hidden inside a lush valley side of the barracks, overgrown by climbing plants, banana trees and papayas. The entrance to this horrific place had a giant metallic sliding door guarded full time. Captives were driven here, thrown in one of the 5 congested dark cells separated by corridors of electrified passage of water. Once one entered here, there was no way of escape whatsoever! Quite often, most victims would jump in the water and die of electricity shocks.
This original site still exists and as part of the dark historical tour, you will see a dark concrete tunnel with numerous dark, damp cells, loose wires, without lamps hang between exposed iron bars.
Victims managed to write messages on the walls and some of the original writings can be faintly seen. One of the original charcoal messages reads ‘You have killed me, but what about my children!’
Learn more from Kampala city tour excursion.