Lake Edward

Lake Edward lay within a regional economy linking fishing waters, farming country and specialised salt sources. The salt lakes of Katwe and Kisenyi nearby must be distinguished from Lake Edward itself. By at least 1750, an extensive commercial network had developed around these works in the Lake Edward–Lake George region.

The products served different needs: fine white salt from Kisenyi was reserved for chiefs, while other grades supplied cooking and livestock. The works could be used throughout the year, unlike sources limited to a dry-season harvest, and nearby ironworking centres supported the regional economy. Tradition credited a hunter named Murogo with discovering Katwe’s salt; his descendants became ritual heads of the works. Salt production thus connected material exchange with hereditary ritual responsibilities around the lake country.