Unveiling the Enchanting Islands and Forgotten Treasures of Lake Bunyonyi.

Exploring Lake Bunyonyi: A Journey Through Islands By 10 o’clock in the morning after a 30minutes drive from Kabale Town we had made it to Africa’s second deepest Lake Bunyonyi shores. A team of tour and travel journalists from central Buganda and Western Uganda together with officials from the Uganda Tourism Board then set off for a tour on Lake Bunyonyi the deepest Lake in Uganda with the guide of Nicholas Ninsima a tour guide with Supreme Adventure Park. ////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Lake Bunyonyi has 29 islands and is a popular spot for birding in Uganda. ///////////////////////////////////////////////////// After about 30minutes of boat riding on Lake Bunyonyi, we arrived at Bwama Island the biggest island on Lake Bunyonyi that is currently having a primary and secondary school, church and a health Centre 3 and the island is under the supervision of the church of Uganda, Diocese of Kigezi in particular. Bwama Island that became famous in the early 1920’s was nicknamed the leper island because of the establishment of an isolation Centre called Bwama leprosy Hospital by the then missionary volunteer Dr Len Sharp. By that time, Leprosy was highly stigmatized, contagious and not easily treatable. The treatment at the time was a series of very painful oil injections administered over many months. The Island has a sad history of pain and suffering, and is as though the gentle lake wind still carries the agonizing screams of those undergoing treatment. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// On arrival at this island, we were welcomed by Amos Tweheyo the Head Teacher Bwama Primary School who narrated to us how the school saw its inception. Tweheyo says that the school started as an education facility for the children of the lepers in 1940’s as there were intermarriages between the lepers under treatment for as the leprosy hospital several attracted people from different counties of East and Central Africa. This also attracted other children from the main land to cross and attain formal education. Tweheyo further says that the school is facing challenges of failure to execute studies as planned because of the poor means of transport to use in the mobilization of learners to the school. Bwama primary school currently has an enrollment of 350 pupil who cross to the main land every day because the school has no boarding section. At Bwama we had a view to other several island on Lake Bunyonyi and from Bwama we had a close up feel of Akampene Island also nicknamed the punishment. Lake Bunyonyi’s Punishment Island, also known as Akampene was traditionally a dumping ground for girls who became pregnant out of wedlock in the Kigezi sub-region. The Island which was once as wide as 3acres is gradually disappearing. Only a couple of trees and a dot of grassland remain today. The locals have a firm belief that the spirits of its dark past are the cause of its disappearance. /////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Our day was climaxed with a great experience of venture at Supreme Adventure Park that has a variety of course. Part of the team participated in the rope course adventure activity that aims at enhance personal coordination, team building, and balancing skills. The rope course features many rope activities in one and you have to climb, walk, and balance on specially designed ropes set high in the air. With the assistance of trained professionals who are experts in rope course activities, we get a chance to derive maximum delight of testing the stability of our minds and bodies. The team was also take through zip lining. //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// By promoting domestic tourism, Ugandans have been the main drivers of recovery of visitation to tourism destinations with an estimated 84,260 local visitors visiting national parks last year. This should be encouraged. With growth in domestic tourism, the numbers of international tourists arriving are bound to increase even further and thus leading to economic development. ENDS////// Nobert Ndyamuhakyi