Kyaddondo
Initially this was the land of the clan members of the Nvubu clan
headed by the Omutaka Kayita. It is believed that he was a herbalist who
ground his herbs into powder form using grinding stones known as ‘e
Mmengo’ because they were many, and it is from this practice that the
place got its name e’Mmengo. It is believed the late King Mwanga settled here in 1885.
The building sits on one side of the Entawetwa Roundabout. The Entawetwa was designed during the reign of the late King Muteesa II after a visit by the Ethiopian
Emperor Haile Selassie who advised him that the King should not go around the junction like his subjects.
The
current building was constructed during the reign of the late King Ccwa
II in 1922. He had travelled to England where he saw similar buildings
and admired them. It was a donation from the government of the United
Kingdom. It was partly destroyed during the Lubiri Attack in 1966 and
was occupied by soldiers from that time until 1997.
Due
to the army occupation, about 100 meters away from Twekobe is what has
come to be known as “Idi Amin torture chambers” (empuku ya Amin).
Initially built to be an armoury with help from the Israelis, it was
later turned into a prison cave and torture chambers. The cave is below
ground with 5 line cells on elevated ground but dug through the hill
without windows or ventilators. The area below the cells was once
waterlogged and the water was electrified ostensibly to electrocute and kill prisoners or those who attempted to escape. It is believed that thousands of political prisoners were murdered at this site, and there are visible signs of torture and murder.
waterlogged and the water was electrified ostensibly to electrocute and kill prisoners or those who attempted to escape. It is believed that thousands of political prisoners were murdered at this site, and there are visible signs of torture and murder.
In the
foreground of the palace is a well-tended compound with a smaller
replica of the Entawetwa Roundabout as well as a German light field gun
abandoned by soldiers after it was deemed non-functional. Also in the
foreground are relics of the old vehicles that were used by the late
King Muteesa II. These include a Bentley and a Cadillac.
The
other building around the Twekobe served administrative units for the
Kingdom officials before being moved to Bulange building. There is a
photo collection set up by King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II in his museum
at the visitors centre. At the entrance to the palace is a fire place
called Gombolola which was lit in 1993 at the coronation of the current
Kabaka and has since never been extinguished. The traditional custodian is Musoloza of Nakisinge clan.