Achievements and Contributions

Trip to England
Ham Mukasa was the private secretary of Sir.Apolo Kagwa, and he accompanied him to United Kingdom in 1901 to attend the coronation of King Edward the 7th.  He came back from England with many good ideas and projects for the development of his country and he struggled very hard to implement them. For example, as soon as they came back from England with Sir Apollo Kaggwa, they started a Girls School in 1905 at Gayaza, which is the most famous girls School in Uganda. This school has trained and bred many women of repute who have contributed immensely towards the development of the country in many various ways and disciplines.

During their visit to England, they visited Eton College the famous Public School for the English nobility. In 1906 they started a Boys School at Kings College, Budo which was originally for the kings, princes and sons of the nobility. It later accepted girls and has always been considered to be the “Eton College” of Uganda. They were very instrumental in the starting of Mengo hospital with Sir Arbert Cook and all its branches in the country.

They contributed a lot in the construction of Namirembe Cathedral and later Mukono Church and Theological college of Uganda (which is now Uganda Christian University ).

In 1905 he became the Ssaza chief of Kyaggwe county called Ssekibobo. He immediately implemented all the ideas he got from England in Kyaggwe county which later become one of the richest and most economically advanced counties in Buganda with large agricultural estates, schools and churches.

For a long time he had six daughters and then he bore a son, James Hannigton Bukulu Kiwanuka Mukasa. He was so pleased that he donated more land to Mukono Diocese  for the establishment of the Bishop Tucker Theological College Mukono, the Mukono Cathedral, and Mukono secondary school. He even donated land and built the first maternity hospital in Kyaggwe county in 1929.  

In 1911 he went back to England with King Daudi Chwa of Buganda on an official visit of the United kingdom. ( see photo album)

Ham Mukasa was one of the first farmers to grow rice and cocoa when the crops were first introduced in Uganda. He was also the first to plant a big rubber plantation in Kyaggwe County.

He was a keen environmentalist and this is why Kyaggwe county ( today Mukono district) up to now is full of forests both natural and man-made because he preserved most forests in the county and he encouraged people to grow trees e.g. mangoes, guavas, rubber trees, Misizi, mivule etc.


social activities
Ham Mukasa was the one who introduced the Boys Scouts Brigade in Uganda and this is why the Chief Scouts instructed the famous Sculptor Maloba at Makerere University to make a bust of Ham Mukasa . Three busts were made, the one in bronze is in the London Museum, the second one in the Uganda museum and the third at the Boys Scouts Headquarters on Buganda road in Kampala, Uganda. ( see photo album)

1. Planting of trees especially rubber trees in Mukono. He was an environmentalist.

2.Contribution in the constructions and establishment of many schools including Kings College Budo and Gayaza High School.

3. Development of Kyaggwe County now Mukono district.

4. Introduced Scouting in Uganda

5. He physically participated in the construction of Namirembe Cathedral and allocated his private land to Mukono Diocese (Church of Uganda).

6. Helping many disadvantaged children to go to school from his pocket.

7. Helping many people to learn to read and write

8. Promoting the right & equal status  of women in Uganda. As result, all his daughters owned land and they were the first women to drive cars and ride bicycles in Uganda.

9. He contributed in the building of Mengo Hospital

10. Taught his people about skilled farming and agriculture.

11. He was a great architect and used his skills in helping many people across the country.

12. He encouraged people to keep their traditions and culture, as the pillar to the success of a person, and to be religious in their different beliefs.

13. He is Kabaka Ronald Mutebi's Grandfather

14. He is the longest serving chief in Uganda
15. He died carrying an honor of Member of the British Empire (MBE), which was given to him in 1903 in England and at the same time Appollo Kaggwa became Sir.Appollo Kaggwa