#10 Masaka City: Top 10 Haunted sites for Dark Tourism in Uganda, East Africa By Ogola Laster
Top 10 Haunted sites for Dark Tourism in Uganda, East Africa
#10 Masaka City
In the 2000s, the luxurious banana plantations of Masaka and Rakai district in central Uganda were still teeming with the sweat and hard work of the Baganda, Banyarwanda and Banyankole tribes. With their hands hardened from decades of tending to fertile soil, harvested plentiful of the bananas, locally known as matooke, a staple in the region. During this time, they enjoyed nearly 90 percent of the profits made on selling the food to especially the consumers in Kampala.
Unfortunately, their efforts were not theirs alone; but also for the bureaucrats in Kampala city who shackled them with higher market dues, indirectly imposed on them through their local authorities. These dues however, had an insignificant impact on their returns which fostered a win-win situation for either party. The country benefited from feeding its citizens, while the farmers made more than enough money than they could ever spend.
However, things changed when some Mafias, disguised as government bureaucrats entered into the equation to have a share in the lucrative matooke business. In the early 2010s, these conmen indirectly controlled all rules regarding market dues in Masaka. They raised them to a point of leaving the farmers hysterical and disgusted. Some farmers chose to abandon the matooke farming business, while other more resilient ones remained to get as little as they could to survive.
Extremely weary of seeing decades of high profits fading into insignificance, the farmers within Masaka invited and assembled their colleagues in Rakai to seek collaborative solutions to their shared challenges. The Banyankole advised them to tap into the wisdom of their ancestors, that involves invoking the spirits who once guided them by drawing upon mysticism as a source of insight and guidance. With passionate prayers and offerings, the 3 tribes begged their respective spirits to aid them in their predicament.
And, finally, in a whisper of incantations and the rustle of concealed forces, a portal manifested itself about 2 miles on the outskirts of the current Masaka city. This was a glistening gateway that was invisible to everyone outside the farmer group, but lively with the promise of prosperity for only those who dared to navigate its edge to Kampala city. And, only the farmers alone knew exactly where the portal led.
The price to pay was quite simple, a 5 per cent of each one’s profits should be shared with the 20 guardians of the portal whose role was to safeguard the gateway throughout the day, every day. The most important thing to them was their precious cargo finding its way into the hands of the impatient consumers and retailers in Kampala. They offered prompt hard cash that was instantly deducted to pay the guardians on the Kampala side, and the farmer got his full share.
Now, it wasn’t clear what the spirits needed the money for, philanthropy, booze, paying debts, who knows! Maybe they also had their superiors, or even the president of the country was involved. This might have been true, since loss of currency notes would have an adverse effect on the economy. But this was also ruled out since the president himself never ever questioned where the farmers sold their matooke. Some claimed that by reducing their incomes by 5 per cent, the spirits just wanted to ensure that the farmers’ wealth status is controlled to a certain degree.
But, fate, as we know it is very erratic, thus had other darker plans in store for the capitalist farmers. In September of 2016, the earth trembled violently beneath the feet of everyone in central Uganda, particularly close to Lake Victoria. The shockwaves vibrated throughout Rakai and Masaka, and unfortunately killing some people. The intense vibrations disrupted the balance of the portal, causing it to swerve off course, connecting to other realities lurking beyond what the spirits knew.
In just a few days, the guardians along with some spirits worked hard on restoring the portal’s course to resume the matooke business. Meanwhile, from the shadowy depths of the portal was a malevolent ancient god that emerged. He claimed that he is from within the darkest depths of Lake Victoria, also known as Nalubaale. With him came his legion of minions, massive, and nasty looking beings that were attracted to the opportunity that came from Masaka’s own prosperous farmers.
The spirits who either created or guarded the portal were no match for these demon-like, brutal entities, and consequently, the onslaught that followed was beyond massacre. The relatively ethereal forms of the spirits shattered like clay pots against the imposing darkness of the more ruthless minions. After the short but efficient battle, the god placed their numb spiritual forms in a devilishly looking glass of champagne to consume all of them.
The god entity seized control of the lucrative business that flowed through the portal. Unlike the farmers, the entity cared not for earthly riches, but his desires were to control the evil capitalists of Masaka. And with ruthless efficiency, they imposed their will on the farmers, by forcing them to pay their tribute of a shocking 90 per cent of their profits. Farmers who could not pay this faced a fate worse than death: they were drowned in Lake Victoria to forever be the god’s ugly minions.
For the farmers who dared to stop using the portal for the matooke business were hunted down, and arrested by the minions. And, while still alive, their bowels torn apart and fed to stray dogs and birds of prey, including vultures, eagles, kites and pied crows. The once thriving trade route that stretched from Masaka now serves as a conduit for terror, extending its tendrils throughout Kampala. There are rumors that it will connect beyond Uganda’s capital to ensure that the shadow of the ancient god is cast as far as possible.
And therefore, amidst the matooke plantations of Rakai and Masaka, the Baganda, Banyankole and Banyarwanda farmers toil under the watchful eye of their new masters. These brutal entities have crashed the farmers’ hopes for prosperity, thanks to their swift demonstration of casting the shadow of fear and despair. And there is no escape from the tyranny of the ancient god who rules with an iron fist forged in the darkest regions of Lake Victoria.
