Kampala capital city is a city of seven hills and the fastest growing urban center in Uganda close to water bodies of Lake Victoria which. The city is located in the central region of Uganda covering a total area of 189 square kilometers of its land. Of which it’s land measures 176 kilometers and 13km covers water area. The city is divided into five divisions including Kampala central division, Nakawa division, Rubaga division, Kawempe division, and Nakawa division. The city is surrounded by one of the biggest district in Uganda known as Wakiso district whose population was recently reported to stand over 2 million people on Uganda’s population.
However, Kampala is Uganda’s national and commercial capital city surrounded by waters of Lake Victoria famously known as Africa’s largest lake on the African Continent. Kampala is covered with red-tile villas and trees around an urban center of modern skyscrapers and also the downtown areas. The Uganda museum encounters the country’s tribal heritage site through the collection of all artifacts and to the nearby mengo Hill known as Lubiiri palace which was the former seat of the Buganda Kingdom. Kampala area covers approximately 189 square kilometers at a cool-weather ranging 24°C at 70% humidity with a total population of about 1.507 million people in the city.
Kampala was named as the 13th developing city in the world with over 4.3 % of its annual population growth rate. Kampala has city leaders, the lord mayor known as Erias Lukwago and the executive direct Eng Andrew Kitaka Mubiru who have beautified the city by putting dust contains around Kampala streets, renovating the roads and the building, this has ranked Kampala to be the best city to live in East Africa among these two Nairobi and Kigali.
Historical background of Kampala
Historically, kabaka of Buganda chose this area as the hunting area which was inhabited by various species of the antelopes like impalas, rolling hills, wetlands in the valley. But when the British came named it the “hill for impala”. The British also adopted the Luganda language into the English language and this was because of their “interaction with the British”. Buganda also interpreted the “hill of the impala” as Akasozi ke’empala, meaning “hill”, ke meaning “of” impalas in the Luganda language. The city grew up in the hands of Buganda kingdom of which kabaka’s regime there was terrorism between the whites, hundreds of building were destroyed and few buildings survived such as Kasubi tombs which were built in 1881, Lubiri palace, Buganda parliament, Buganda court all these places were constructed on behalf of the Buganda Kingdom making the history of Buganda kingdom during those ancient days.
However, when it comes to Kampala the largest city of Uganda which was built on seven hills and the mission was to cover to more than the original seven hills of which old Kampala hill is located on fort lugard street which was the first seat of the British colonialists in Uganda. The second one was mengo hill by then it was called kibuga which was the ‘’Capital’’ of the Buganda kingdom at the beginning of the British Colonial rule. The third hill was built on Kibuli Mosque. The 4th hill is where Namirembe Cathedral is located a home to the Anglicans faction of the Buganda religious wars of 1888 to 1892 up to now the Namirembe Anglican Cathedral still exists because of the renovation and also it acts as an attractive place to many people. The 5th is Lubaga hill and during those ancient years the place acted as a home to the white Fathers Catholic in local name ‘’Wafaransa’’ invention of the above mentioned Buganda religious wars and later it turned into Rubaga Catholic Cathedral. The 6th is Nsambya hill, during the 1880’s it was site of the former Cathedral of st peter’s Nsambya and the same allocation to the British Catholic Mill Hill Mission who sighed the Uganda Agreement in ‘’1900’’. The 7th which sounded as Nakasero hill on its top is where fort Nakasero and a British military installation were built after relocating from Fort Lugard in old Kampala, the hill was well preserved with several important things because it was the same location of the European Hospital offering laboratory just opposite Ministry of Public service head offices.
However, when it comes to visit Kampala never leave without having the specular view of these 7 hills because on each hill there is an attractive structure of building which can take your eyes extra with rewardable views such beautiful places of worship including the national Gadhafi Mosque, Nsambya cathedral, Rubaga Church, Kibuli Mosque which was built on Kibuli hill for over 19th century and now the hill occupies along with secondary, primary and hospitalS that help to save people’s lives, Namirembe Church, Bahai temple the mother temple of Africa which was built on KikayA hill, the national referral hospital which settles on Makerere hill where one of Uganda’s biggest universities is positioned from and many other interesting things that can be found along here. Visit one of these hills and encounter the historical background of these hills.
Kampala’s weather Climate: Kampala the Capital City of Uganda is surrounded by waters of Lake Victoria and it has got several neighborhoods that are bordering Lake Victoria. Kampala comprises of sub-tropical highland climate that features two annual wetter seasons though the city does not have the truly dry season months and it experiences heavier rainfall between March to May and within April. It receives an amount of precipitation at an average of about 169 millimeters of rain. Dry seasons normally occurs in June to August and December to February.
Kampala the city of seven hills is surrounded with well a developed education system that is regulated by Ministry of Education and Sport of Uganda offering a wide range of educational training such as secondary schools, primary schools, institutions, Universities like Makerere University where members of parliament studied from and many international students who join this university because of its high learning level statistic which has been maintained for over years up now.
Types of transports Used in Kampala
Kampala being Uganda’s Capital City, many travelers who prefer flying to Entebbe international Airport and later visiting the city.
The most popular mode of transport that gives easy access to many areas within and outside the Kampala are Boda-Bodas. Don’t get cheated the standard fees range between 1000 and 2000UGX and more. Boda bodas are a useful means of transport which can help you to cash up with jam though some times are dangerous. Other public transport services are buses, taxis which cover the great Kampala metropolitan area such as Entebbe, Mpigi, Mukono, Bombo among many.
About the safeness and cleanness of the City
Kampala the capital city of Uganda has got several modernized road and on each road, they replaced their cameras which have helped to fight robbery within the city and not only in the city but also to the busy roads in the country, as well as traffic lights, have tremendously reduced on road accidents. About cleanness, Kampala is clean because there is the body responsible for the operation of the city famously known as Kampala Capital City Authority ‘’KCCA’’. Its head offices which sit on Nakaseero hill in the central business district of Kampala.
Accommodation in Kampala
Kampala being Uganda’s largest urban center and the fast-growing city settling across the seven prominent hills along Lake Victoria. The city offers comfortable and beautiful hotels with a specular view of the hills, hotels have nice looking with good facilities, amenities ranging between luxury, mid-range, and budget few to be mentioned include; Kampala Serena hotel, Pearl of Africa hotel, Grand hotel, Kampala Shelton hotel, Boulevard suites and many more.
Above all, Kampala is surrounded by a lot of amazing attractions that would not miss out on your visit to Kampala such as visiting the seven hills, independence monument, National theatre, Uganda museum, Visiting Namugongo martyr’s shrine. Kampala is also famous for hosting the mother temple of Africa which sits on Kikayi hills with a breathtaking and rewardable view of nature garden around, visiting the Ndere culture center in Kampala area of kisasi that promotes Uganda and African cultural experience through music, dance, and drama. The dance troop of Ndere are good in performing all over Uganda’s traditional dance as well as Rwanda and Burundi many travelers and local resident enjoy visiting this place because of exciting activity done along here filled with a lot of laughers and unforgettable memorable experience in a lifetime.
Kampala is an extremely safe city to visit on a visitor’s vacation or a tour of Uganda and be ready to explore amazing experiences that are remarkable between the city centers on the slopes of 7 hills.
