Retelling of the Ancient Home of Walumbe and Kayikuuzi
The Journey Begins
It starts as a normal morning in Kampala, the city full of noise, people, and restless movement. Yet somewhere inside you, a quiet voice pushes you to walk a path few know. That path leads to a place ancient beyond memory a place where two brothers, Walumbe and Kayikuuzi, once fought in a story that shaped Buganda’s understanding of life and death.
Leaving Kampala, the road stretches out like a ribbon of dust and tarmac, cutting through towns and open countryside. The journey is long enough to give you time to imagine what lies ahead. About sixty-four kilometers one and a half hours of passing hills, gardens, markets, and villages bring you closer to Ttanda, in Ttamu, Mityana District, in the old province of Ssingo.
Nothing prepares you for the moment when modern life falls behind and the ancient world rises before you.
The Gate of Shadows
Just before the forest thickens, a signpost stands quietly by the roadside.
“Ttanda Archaeological Archive” it reads, but it is not the words that capture you it is the picture of a man with a beard and mustache drawn in a way that sends a shiver down your back. The sign seems to warn you, “Turn back if your heart is weak.”
But curiosity is stronger than fear.
A second sign appears ahead, painted with careful hands:
“Walumbe Palace ETTANDA (Butikirwa) – Led by Omutaka Nakabaale – 1 KM Ahead.”
This one does not frighten you. Instead, it feels like someone inviting you into a story older than time.
And then, just as your feet touch the place itself, you notice the rules carved on wooden boards outside the entrance rules that are not mere guidelines but sacred instructions. Your second step beyond those signs becomes your final step into the realm of Buganda’s deepest mysteries.
The Keeper of the Path
A man steps forward from the shadows of the trees. His name is Ddamba Besweri, one of the long-serving caretakers of Ttanda. His voice is calm but carries the authority of someone who has witnessed things that cannot be written in books.
He tells you how to walk, where not to step, and warns you about the caves holes so deep that a single misstep could swallow you completely.
Then he begins to talk about the rules of Ttanda, and suddenly you understand you are no longer in a normal place.
The Sacred Rules
Here, tradition is not a suggestion, it is law.
Women must not raise chicken eggs.
Everyone entering must wash with traditional medicine, cleansing the spirit.
Pork is forbidden, completely.
Women may not sit on chairs in the sacred area.
Women may not wear trousers or long pants.
Besweri’s eyes narrow as he explains the reason.
“When you disobey, the spirit of the King clothes you in his life and punishes you,” he says softly.
“You may even be asked to pay a cow to the King as a sign. Ignore it… and suffering follows you to death.”
The seriousness in his tone makes you swallow hard. This is not superstition. Here, belief and reality live side by side.
The King Who Must Return
Few people know that every year, the Kabaka of Buganda must honour Ttanda not for ceremony, but for safety. Besweri’s voice rises with respect as he lists the offerings:
Nine black male cows
Nine grey goats
Nine grey sheep
Nine grey chickens
Nine food stalls
Nine wooden skewers
“If these are brought,” he says, “then Buganda remains safe.”
But the Kabaka himself cannot walk into Ttanda. This is the palace of another king King Bulamu, the spirit also known as Walumbe. So the Kabaka sends a messenger while he waits at a respectful distance.
Two kings, two worlds, never seen together.
Even if the Kabaka stands among crowds, the spirit king does not appear before him. But sometimes, when the spirit is pleased, he speaks a voice only the chosen can hear.
The Land of Dreams
As you continue walking, you begin to understand what draws people here. Many who come have been haunted by dreams visions they cannot escape, warnings they cannot explain. Ttanda is a place where dreams turn into messages. A place where the past whispers into the future.
But Besweri is clear: “If you came for medicine, you will be disappointed. We do not give herbs here.”
This is not a place of healing herbs. It is a place of spiritual instruction.
Ttanda is full of caves about three hundred, Besweri says, though some were sealed long ago. These caves are not shallow holes but long, deep, winding tunnels whose ends no one has ever reached.
If you fall in, the chances of survival are almost zero.
One of them, known as Wanema’s Cave, is said to be more than a hundred feet deep a dark cylinder stretching into the belly of the earth. They believe it is the home of Jajja Wanema, a spirit older than the kingdom itself.
You stand at the mouth of one of the caves and feel the cold air rising like breath from another world.
The Places within Ttanda
As you follow the caretaker through winding paths and towering trees, you encounter a series of places, each with its own story.
The Place of Equipment
People bring broken car parts, motorcycle parts anything mechanical. After performing a ritual, many believe their vehicles stop breaking down. It sounds impossible, yet the belief is strong.
The Cross of Ttonda
A wooden cross stands quietly in the clearing, but Besweri quickly explains that it is not Christian. “This is the cross of King Ttonda,” he says, “the one who unites all religions.”
Around it, the air feels strangely peaceful, as if every faith finds a small place to breathe here.
The Lights of Empewo
Lights glow in some areas, not from electricity but from spiritual presence. The Empewo spirits are responsible for these, while the powerful spirit Kiwanuka controls lightning. If angered, he can strike without warning.
The Water of Mukasa
On the side stands a cluster of pots belonging to Lubaale Mukasa, the spirit of the lake. Inside them is water colder than anything a refrigerator can produce.
Men drink from a vessel called Lwendo. Women drink from Kibya.
It is said that the water refreshes the soul.
The Palace of Kabaka Bulamu (Walumbe)
This is the heart of Ttanda. Before you enter, two rules are written on the wooden door:
Switch off your phone.
Remove your shoes. Enter barefoot.
Inside the palace, the air feels heavier. There is a small mosque where children spirit children are given raw eggs to eat. It is said that some of these children are snakes, and yet they are fed and cared for as beings of the spiritual world.
This is the home of Walumbe, the source of human death in Buganda tradition, and the brother of Kayikuuzi, who once tried to drag him back to heaven. Their conflict is written everywhere in this land.
Kayikuuzi’s House
Kayikuuzi, the hero who fought to stop death from entering the human world, also has his house here. People visit to ask for blessings, for strength, and for clarity. His home is a place of courage where old proverbs are explained and ancient lessons are taught.
Nalongo Nabinene
Her cave is covered in clean cloth, like a shrine prepared for royalty. Those who dream of her come to offer thanks or ask for guidance.
In the centre of the cave stands a pillar called Sseddugge, wrapped in boards or gowns. Those who enter swear they feel a presence watching kindly over them.
Ndawula and the Gentle Bees
At Ndawula, you find pots of food left for the spirits. Strangely, bees fly around peacefully, never stinging anyone. No one disturbs them; they belong to the place.
Here, the spears of Walumbe and Kayikuuzi rest—symbols of a war that shaped existence.
The Place of Fertility
For women who have lost children or want to conceive, this area is sacred. Dolls hang on the walls, left by those seeking a child. Many return later with real babies, offering thanks for the new life given to them.
Where All Religions Meet
What surprises you most is seeing Besweri wearing a Catholic rosary, even though he serves spirits many would call “traditional.”
He explains gently: “Catholics come here during Easter for the Way of the Cross. Muslims come here for Eid. Here, everyone meets.”
A crescent moon and star symbol known for Islam appears on one of the shrines. Not far from it, Muslims bow in prayer. Christians kneel near the cross. Spirit mediums chant soft prayers.
Here, no religion rejects the other. All share the same air.
By the time you leave, Ttanda has changed you. Not loudly, not dramatically, but deeply like a whisper settling into your heart. You walk away knowing this truth:
If you have never visited Ttanda, you have not yet touched the roots of Buganda’s history. It is a land of stories, caves, spirits, rules, warnings, blessings, dreams, and truths that refuse to die.
Visit Ttanda, and you will understand why people return with more questions than answers. Because Ttanda is not just a place. It is a living story.