KAMPALA, UGANDA: President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Kabaale International Airport in Hoima known to be renamed Kabalega International Airport as an honor for the great things the revered King of Bunyoro, Chwa II Kabalega did for his kingdom.
The development was confirmed by the State Minister for Public Service, Mr Grace Mary Mugasa in a tweet on Tuesday evening.
“I want to thank President Museveni for choosing to rename the airport in Hoima to Kabalega International Airport, Hoima,” Mugasa tweeted.
Additionally, the minister said that the Oil and Gas based industrial park in Hoima district will also be named after the Great Omukama Kabalega.
The renaming of the airport comes at a time when the Bunyoro kingdom is celebrating 100 years of Omukama Kabalega and the honorary renaming of the landmark icons in the region is expected to boost the Kingdom’s heritage both locally and internationally.
Hoima Airport is located in Kabaale Parish, Buseruka sub-county, Hoima District in the Western Region of Uganda, near the Kaiso-Tonya oil fields and the Uganda Oil Refinery.
The airport is currently under construction by Israeli-British firms, Shikun and Binui International (SBI/Colas Limited) and the construction works that started in 2018 are expected to be completed later this year.
Upon completion, the airport will have a 3500-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway, a passenger terminal and associated facilities to support the operations of cargo and passenger aircraft.
About Omukama Kabalega
Chwa II Kabalega (18 June 1853 – 6 April 1923), was the King or Omukama of Bunyoro in Uganda from 1870 to 1899.
He is popularly known and remembered as the first leader in Uganda to command his people to oppose and fight European colonialism.
In 1972, President Idi Amin renamed Murchison Falls, located within Murchison Falls National Park, Kabalega Falls after the Omukama.
On 8 June 2009, Kabalega was declared a national hero of Uganda by President Museveni, and in 2010, the Most Honourable Order of Omukama Chwa II Kabalega was founded in honour of Kabalega by the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara.
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