Uganda minister raps 'silly' museum protestors
AFP
KAMPALA- Ugandan activists are protesting against a planned demolition of a city museum thought to be East Africa's oldest, but the tourism minister dismissed them Friday as "just being silly."
The Uganda Museum in Kampala boasts a collection dating back to 1908 that includes artefacts of early human life, customary practises and wildlife history, and the activists say even the museum building itself should be preserved.
"They are just being silly," said Kahinda Otafiire, a powerful ruling party figure and the minister for tourism, trade and industry.
"Do they think they love Uganda more than I do? Do they think they know more about preserving our heritage, than me, who is the minister responsible for heritage," Otafiire told AFP.
The minister defended the demolition, saying it will pave the way for the rebuilding of a modern museum occupying two floors at he same site.
But the activists accused the minister of planning to grab the museum land and of having no interest in preserving the artefacts.
"We know the motivation of some people in government. They just want to grab land in the city," said Ellady Muyambi, the director of Historical Resources Conservation Initiatives organisation.
"Otafiire and his group don't have any concern about museums."
The battle over the museum, widely referred to as the oldest in the region, has also drawn international attention.
"No thought whatsoever has been given to the effects of the removal of the collections into storage and then into the new facilities," Merrick Posnansky, a University of California at Los Angeles professor who is the museum's former curator, wrote in the local press.
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"Do they think they love Uganda more than I do? Do they think they know more about preserving our heritage, than me, who is the minister responsible for heritage," Otafiire told AFP.
The minister defended the demolition, saying it will pave the way for the rebuilding of a modern museum occupying two floors at he same site.
But the activists accused the minister of planning to grab the museum land and of having no interest in preserving the artefacts.
"We know the motivation of some people in government. They just want to grab land in the city," said Ellady Muyambi, the director of Historical Resources Conservation Initiatives organisation.
"Otafiire and his group don't have any concern about museums."
The battle over the museum, widely referred to as the oldest in the region, has also drawn international attention.
"No thought whatsoever has been given to the effects of the removal of the collections into storage and then into the new facilities," Merrick Posnansky, a University of California at Los Angeles professor who is the museum's former curator, wrote in the local press.
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