Ankole Kingdom’s Mugaba Palace Event Cancelled after ‘UPDF Intervention’

The inauguration of Ankole Kingdom’s Mugaba palace was cancelled after ‘UPDF intervention.’ Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja had been expected to be chief guest at the inauguration of the residence of former Ankole kings, located in Kamukuzi Hill of Mbarara City, as cultural heritage site. 

The launch had been set for Friday, March 27, 2026, but was cancelled. Reports indicate that tents put in place for the inauguration of the Mugaba Palace cultural heritage site were pulled down in the evening of Friday ahead of the event that was scheduled for Saturday.

It has now emerged that the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), are expected to host a concert at Mugaba Palace in the evening of Saturday, March 28, 2026.

UTB and the tourism ministry have been marketing Ankole as a tourist destination. Indeed, there were visitors outside the Mugaba Heritage Site.

These had also come prepared to take part in the Mbarara Marathon. But police cancelled the marathon, accusing its lead organizer Dickens Friday Kaka of not being authorized to conduct a marathon.

Dickens Friday Kaka is the Chief Executive Officer of the Mbarara City Marathon. He reportedly failed to follow rules set by the Uganda Athletics Federation.

Reports suggest that the federation had raised concerns on safety of participants as one of the reasons that Friday Kaka should not dare hold the marathon.

But he defied the directive of the federation and held the marathon on a rainy Saturday.

Ankole Kingdom was abolished decades ago and not revived, with attempts by some claiming to be kings of the cultural institution meeting hurdles.

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