ABSTRACT

The study was about culture and heritage management policies and development of local communities in Kasubi tombs. The study was based on the following three objectives; to establish the culture and heritage management policies in Uganda, to establish the determinant elements to plan and develop culture and heritage tourism and to establish the relationship between culture and heritage management policies on development of local communities in Uganda. A sample of 80 respondents included local community residents of Uganda, culture leaders, employees, government officers, culture based organizations (CBO) and NGOs. The study employed a case study research design and methodology used was both qualitative and quantitative. Questionnaires and documentary review were the major tools of data collection. In regard to the culture and heritage management policies in Uganda, it was revealed by majority 50.0% of respondents who strongly agreed that tourism should be a private sector driven, majority 47.1% agreed that government should provide an enabling framework for the industry to flourish and majority 61.4% agreed that effective community involvement must be encouraged. In regard to the determinant elements to plan and develop culture and heritage tourism, majority 51.4% agreed that cultural heritage tourism allow and involve communities in the participation of the development and majority 58.6% strongly agreed that the government provides a safe and stable political environment which addresses the indirect demands of the tourists and enhances cultural heritage tourism development. In regard to relationship between culture and heritage management policies on development of local communities, majority 58.6% agreed that the policies preserve the natural and cultural environment as the foundation of all culture and heritage tourism activities benefit the community in each destination, majority 55.7% agreed that culture and heritage management policy ensure an adequate rate of return on investment as a condition for economic growth and majority 67 .I% strongly agreed that culture and heritage management policy develop access to capital resources and technological advancement and majority. The researcher recommended that culture and heritage policies should outline the various roles of stakeholders, government, the private sector, parastatals and international protocols, and development should be seen as a systematic progression of people and opportunities from a bad to a better situation with measurement indicators such as poverty, employment, equality, self-fulfilment and upward mobility.