Jamaican dancehall queen Spice has visited the seat of the Buganda Kingdom at Bulange Mengo as part of her week-long cultural immersion programme in Uganda. The programme was organized by the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in partnership with the Buganda Kingdom ahead of her maiden concert in Uganda, scheduled for 9 May 2026 at Lugogo Cricket Oval.
The visit forms part of UTB’s strategy to position cultural tourism at the centre of Uganda’s destination brand. Spice was warmly received by the Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, during a ceremony held in her honour at Bulange.
A key highlight of the event was Spice being bestowed with a Kiganda clan name, Nankula, placing her within the Enkula (Rhino) clan of Buganda Kingdom. The symbolic honour connects her to Uganda’s cultural heritage and the rhino conservation efforts her concert proceeds are expected to support.
Uganda Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa said Spice is the first international artist to formally explore Uganda before performing in the country, adding that this will now become a standard practice.
“We are making history here today. Spice is the first international artist to accept the invitation to truly explore Uganda… We will make it standard for every artist who performs on our soil,” Kagwa said.
Buganda Kingdom, one of Africa’s oldest and most influential traditional institutions, traces its origins back to the 14th century under Kabaka Kato Kintu. Today, it represents about 27% of Uganda’s population and remains the largest traditional kingdom in the country.
The Kasubi Tombs, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, serve as the burial place of four Buganda kings, including Muteesa I and Sir Edward Muteesa II. Originally built as a royal palace in 1882, it was later converted into a royal burial site.
Welcoming Spice, Owek. Mayiga emphasized the deep cultural ties between Africa and the diaspora.
“I welcome our sister from Jamaica to the seat of the Buganda Kingdom… You are on the continent of your ancestors’ kingdoms,” he said, highlighting Uganda’s cultural richness, wildlife, cuisine, and music as key tourism attractions.
He also noted that Spice’s presence symbolized a cultural homecoming, linking her music to Africa’s enduring cultural identity.
Spice, who has spent the week exploring Uganda’s cultural and natural heritage, described the experience as deeply emotional.
“It gives me great pleasure to be here. I feel at home… There is a bond here that I cannot fully explain,” she said. “Now that I have been given a name and placed in a clan, I am no longer just visiting Uganda. I belong here.”
Her visit to Bulange Mengo strengthens UTB’s “Kabaka Trail,” a cultural tourism corridor linking key heritage sites such as the Kasubi Tombs, Bulange Mengo, and the Uganda Martyrs Shrine in Namugongo.
