This is the largest man-made lake in Uganda. Kabaka’s lake was constructed by 52 clans of Buganda from 1885 -1888 during the reign of King Mwanga ii. The plan of the king was to construct a channel wide enough for him to travel by boat to Lake Victoria for swimming and fishing and staying at his old palace he had built at Mulungu hill near Lake Victoria.
The channel would also serve as an escape waterway in the event of armed conflict with the British. The construction was however, abruptly disrupted and stopped on 2nd August 1888 before the channel could reach Munyonyo because of the religious war which broke out in the kingdom.
Today the lake occupies an area of approximately 2 square kilometers, and about 200 feet deep. Other than being an important historical site, Kabka’s lake is home to many bird species, and is recognized as an important conservation site. If interested in Birding around Kampala, you will have a very good list in a short time.
It’s also on record that this lake is one of the only two excavated lakes in East Africa and one of the biggest of this kind in Africa. Kabaka’s lake is more than a cultural site!
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