Bulange Building

Bulange is one of the most significant buildings found in the palace (Lubiri). It hosts the Kingdom’s administration and its Parliament where the Kabaka meets members of the Buganda Lukiiko (Buganda Parliament). Before Bulange building was constructed, members of the Lukiiko used to sit under trees on grass but later, they decided to build the Lukiiko sit which was grass thatched. Later, Sir Apollo Kaggwa who was the then Prime Minister decided to build a new Bulange with bricks. He gave the contract to an Indian Alidina Visram and work was started in 1902. It was constructed near the entrance to the Lubiri but its design and durability were highly criticized by the youth. However, when Kabaka’s government expanded, there was need to create a bigger Lukiiko hall. Therefore the new Bulange contrary to the Kiganda Culture was built outside the Lubiri something that saw a lot of criticism from most of the Baganda.

In the year 1953 while in exile in Scotland, Ssekabaka Muteesa II saw the plan, admired it, brought it with him on his return and he decided that the Lukiiko sit should be constructed using the plan. The construction work was started in 1953 and was completed in 1958 at a cost of 5 millions which was a vast sum of money by then. It became the administrative sit of the Kingdom and the main feature in it is the Lukiiko hall. It has no upper floors because in the Kiganda culture, no body sits above and over the Kabaka’s head “Kabaka tatulwa ku mutwe”. The spot at which Bulange stands was formally occupied by the first English Police Post and was called Namirembe. It took the name Bulange from Bulange hill due to the weaving grass that used to grow on that hill. It was built facing directly the Lubiri entrance with a mile long avenue called Kabakaanjagala linking the two. “Although it had for over 20 years been out of Buganda’s control, it still maintains its original stature despite once being gutted by fire. The symbols of the 50 clans are prominently depicted on the walls in the foyler of the Bulange. 


In the year 1966, the country Uganda faced a political turmoil, the Lubiri was invaded and captured. Bulange was turned into the Uganda army headquarters and the cultural institutions were abolished. However, in the year 1993, cultural institutions were re-instated and Bulange was handed back to the Kingdom. Although the Lukiiko resumed its duties, there were restrictions in the way they were to carry out their work. The Kingdom became a constitutional monarchy. The Lukiiko was to legislate only cultural laws and to deal with other developmental issues but were barred from Politics. No political issues were to be handled by the Buganda Lukiiko. These were left for the central government. The Kabaka was made apolitical. By this time, the Lukiiko was composed of 68 directly elected members from the Buganda counties, 18 Buganda county chiefs, 6 members who were appointed by the Kabaka and members of the Buganda cabinet ministers.