THE UNDISCOVERED PYRAMIDS IN UGANDA

Are you aware that Egypt isn’t the only destination with pyramids? Ever heard about the Ibanda Pyramid Galts? If you are interested in exploring historical and cultural heritage sites while on your vacation in Uganda then Ibanda Pyramid Galt should be a must for you to include in your bucket list. Like most of the pyramids in Egypt were constructed with the blood and sweat of the Jewish slaves, the Ibanda Pyramid Galt/the Galt stones on the other hand feature products of the harsh treatment that the former colonial government inflicted on the locals at Ibanda after killing Harry St George Galt on 19^th May 1905-the former tax collector and the sub commissioner for western Uganda province at a time. While most of Egypt’s pyramids are famous to the world, the Ibanda Pyramids aren’t that popular and yet they are also worth exploring. These forgotten pyramids are situated in western Uganda and they were built using slave labor in memory of the brutal governance at a time. There is a pile of stones in form of a pyramid just in Ibanda district and it is worth visiting while on safari to western Uganda. This historical treasure is about 113 years old and it famously known as the pyramid of Galt. The site is however; very bushy that it has even offered refuge to most of the snakes. There was first attempt to upgrade these historical treasures into tourism spot by Ankole kingdom around the 1950's but unfortunately the move didn’t succeed till the kingdoms were removed in 1966. As well, at the time when the districts succeeded over the administrative units, Mbarara district local government tried to develop the area but didn’t achieve its dream till it lost jurisdiction to the newly created Ibanda district.

Harry George Galt served both as a British colonial officer and the sub commissioner of the western province of Uganda. He was born on January 28^th 1872 in Emsworth in Hampshire in Great Britain. He became a tax collector in Ankole Sub region up on reaching Uganda. He was then appointed the sub commissioner for the western Uganda province and he is known for his cruelty to the locals while in the office at a time. On 19^th May 1905 being a newly appointed province officer, George Galt then forced the locals to carry him on their heads from Fort Portal to Ibanda. 

GALT BEING CARRIED BY LOCALS

At a point when the locals became tired, they asked him to given them time to rest but he refused and ordered them to walk till they arrived at Ibanda. They danced to Galts tunes until they reached Katooma about three kilometers off Ibanda town just after the Kagongo Catholic Church where he made a stop to have a rest at a government house. As the local people rehashed his cruelty, Rutaraka who was also one of the natives became irritated by Galt’s actions and then picked a spear, headed to Galt where he was relaxing in the government house compound and then speared him in the chest and after a short while he was dead. Investigations were conducted by the colonial government and they believed that his death was politically geared and 2 (two) Ankole chiefs were sentenced a death penalty but it was cancelled afterward on an appeal by the British East African Court. Rutaraka was found when he was dead after committing suicide due to fear of what would have followed. Galt’s body was then taken for a burial and colonial government punished the locals making them to pile stones to cover the blood of Galt. Stones were piled in form of pyramid with a length of five meters and the height of about three meters and they exist up to date. There is also a street named after Galt in Mbarara and begins on Stanley road on Boma hill just opposite the public library.

A PILE OF STONES AT IBANDA PYRAMID

In conclusion, like any pyramids, the Ibanda Pyramid Galts also feature a bit of negative history but the area is worth visiting as you explore more what took place at the time of British colonial government in Uganda.