Perched atop a hill with panoramic views of the iconic Lake Victoria, Mary Kalikawe (founding member of KHO) realised she had found a perfect place for cultural celebration. Inspired by the beauty and heritage of her ancestral homeland, she envisioned a vibrant hub for community history in the region’s capital city of Bukoba.

In December 2021, Mary’s vision materialised when she hosted a public conference on the Bukoba hill to celebrate the city’s 130th anniversary and discuss its rich cultural heritage. The hill became known as the Bukoba Heritage Site Hill and quickly became a focal point for tourists, local school groups and wider cultural engagement. This first public gathering also began a focus on a shared interest in the region’s heritage.

One year on (2022), the site had evolved significantly. Mary organised a two-day cultural festival that not only celebrated local traditions but also recognised past international influences, including Emin Pasha’s arrival in 1890, who established a German presence in the area. The festival drew attendees from across the Kagera region, including Mwanza and Kahama.

Capitalising on growing momentum, Mary established a lively WhatsApp group as a platform for ongoing dialogue and the sharing of stories of Bukoba and Kagera’s past and present history. Members of this group sowed the seeds for the formal foundation of the Kagera Heritage Organisation in 2024.

Back in 2004 Kiroyera Tours, led by its CEO Mary Kalikawe, established the Kagera Museum in a privately owned residence in the Nyamkazi area of Bukoba. After 18 fruitful years, the owner reclaimed the house, prompting the museum to close and its exhibits to be temporarily stored. The search for a new home led Mary and other KHO visionaries to select Bukoba Heritage Site Hill as the ideal site for a new museum.

The construction of a new museum and learning centre on the hill is currently under discussion. Meanwhile, in 2023-4 a temporary building was constructed on top of the hill to display some of the past museum collection. It is open daily for local school groups and all visitors to Bukoba to learn about Kagera’s heritage. With the support of others, Mary and KHO plan to preserve and extend the collection until their dream of a purpose-built museum and vibrant learning centre is realised. Funding is ongoing for this project, which will mark a new chapter in celebrating Kagera’s unique heritage for future generations.