NYAKAHONDOGORO CAVES, THE BEAUTY OF IBANDA DISTRICT
By Elly Karenzi
In Ibanda—–
Nyakahondogoro caves are an entrance into another World of the unknown. Several traditional amenities await people’s views. The whole place is a reception room inside the caves which are large enough to house more than 100 people or visitors.
Nyakahondogoro caves are one of the mysteries of little known secrets of Ibanda’s beauty situated below the hug hill of Bwahwa.
A lot of myths are behind the formation of Nyakahondogoro caves which are said to have been the homes of members of Bachwezi demi -gods dynasty who came from Sudan  and arrived in Northern Uganda by 1850’s.
These people later moved to Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, and finally moved to Ankole Kingdom and were welcomed by the Ankole kings.
History tells that the Bachwezi dynasty were demi-gods who looked like human beings, great herders men by grazing cattle, goats and sheep and used to move at night .They were heard making footsteps, lighting fire at night on mountains  and hills ,but could not be seen with the naked eyes. This could be strange to most people in Bunyoro-Kitara kingdom and even Ankole kingdom. These Bachwezi people are real and they perform miracles at night. Their trademarks are night fires which could be seen around inside the caves especially at Nyakahondogoro caves in Bwahwa hills in Ibanda district.
Jameson Tumwine, the leader of Ibanda traditional herbal research Obusingye co- operative society limited noted that Nyakahondogoro caves are regarded as a holy place for few individual ,because of its association as a shrine where hundreds of believers trek to see one of the world’s wonders.
These people from Ibanda district and other districts move on weed ends to pray their gods at night. Several students, tourists, old men and women across the country move on foot, bodabodas and vehicles to explore the beauty of Ibanda district as one way of its historical sites.
The area LC 1 chairperson Leo Babyeyaka also noted that the biggest challenge is that the sanitation is very poor. The visitors who trek to the area do open defecation on top of huge rocks, and when it rains, the whole place starts smelling and all the dirt flows in the valley into people’s homes.
The area around Nyakahondogoro caves is made of a rocky terrain which according to local leaders makes it expensive to dig a pit-latrine
“To make matters worse, around this place there is no clean water for drinking, restaurants or hotels, clinics, shops and lodges for visitors†Babyeyaka explained.
According to Babyeyaka,he has labored to sensitize the residents about the importance of constructing more latrines, but he has been greeted with a myth from the Bachwezi that there no need of using the pit-latrines only to use the bush.
Ms. Grace Tayebwa, a senior commercial officer, Ibanda district, said Nyakahondogoro caves are said to have been in existence for a long time with hundreds of years as any old local member remember of guess.
She explained that there are no activities taking place near the caves, only thousands of pilgrims to trek in the area to see one of Ibanda’s district historical sites.
She added that Ibanda district is planning to improve the place into a tourist attraction.
The allocation of the place starts from Mbarara town, one stops at Nyamirima trading centre a long Ibanda road a bout 60Kms. A murram road crosses several homesteads casting out foot paths. Bodabaoda riders have been instrumental in the development of the area. They transport the tourist for from Nyamirima trading center up to the foot steps of Bwahwa hill a bout 2Kms where the Nyakahondogoro caves welcome the visitors.
“Inside the caves, there are three special rooms with an upper storage where the Bachwezi people used to keep their milk chums. These milk pots are seen and they were left in one of the rooms .All the three rooms are kept clean and swart without dust .The inside cave extends to Buhweju district and the air is cool. The caves were used by the Ankole kings to pass a way from escaping from the enemies†.Mr.Tumwine adds.
During 1985 -!986,Nyakahondogoro caves were used by the locals from Nyamirima,Nyabuhikye,Kabagoma and Igorora to hide in during a guerrilla bush war from the rebels of former Obotes government who were fleeing from NRA soldiers.
Nyakahondogoro caves strech out under the Bwahwa hill and over look Ibanda town, Mbarara,Kitagwenda, Kazo and Kiruhura districts and definetely gives one good company and make more memories for a tour to this place.The air is fresh while the vegetation looks good and cool.
As one exists the caves, he or she sees another beautiful places of Kazo, Kitagwenda, Kashari,Kamwenge,Kiruhura and Rwampara. The inside milk pots that were left inside the caves by the Bachwezi dynasty gives  one a good company to tourists.
Bwahwa hill where the caves under the hiil whire the Bachwez are said used to grave their cattle at night and light fires.
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