By Emmanuel Kubula
Ugandans have been challenged to preserve culture by making the best use of cultural Museums.
This call was sounded by Wanyina Bwayo Francis, the founder of Mt. Elgon Culture and history Museum located at Tom Masaba road, in Industrial division, Mbale city on Friday 8th January 2021.
The 74 year old explains that a Museum helps to preserve cultural items of the community as well as the country at large, creating a reliable source of certified community information and history.
Bwayo says that since a museum is a source of Knowledge, entertainment, storage and preservation, it helps people to learn about their culture, and items used in the past.
Wanyina was quick to add that, “the items in the museum are never found on the streets. The museum is the only place with professionals, having the first hand information about the different cultures and history of the society, nation or the whole world.”
Speaking to us in an exclusive interview, Wanyina said that Uganda has about 50 private museums and only four government owned museums. He challenged the government and other stakeholders to do the needful to raise the number and effectiveness of these Museums.
“Starting a museum was a personal Idea i thought of after realising that Bugisu region as big as it sounds and Mbale being a city, had none,” lamented Wanyina.
He said that such places can be visited to spend leisure time productively, being that they are so educational, before adding that they also fetch some revenue by attracting tourists.
He vowed to educate local leaders whom he termed as primitive about the importance of a museum to society.
Wanyina, holds a Degree in Mass Communication from Makerere University.