Kansanga, the home of merry making

Kansanga is rather a popular hot spot for merry making be it among the mammoth University student crowd or the local guy crafting an edible rolex not the wrist one. The rugged guy with saggy pants passes by with a file of papers as the skimpily dressed lass follows him in her Ush 200,000 shoes with meticulously calculated steps as they both head to their hostels after class. That, my friend is Kansanga.

Location

Kansanga is bordered by Kabalagala and Kisugu to the north, Muyenga to the northeast, Kiwafu to the east, Bbunga to the southeast, Konge to the south, Lukuli to the southwest, and Kibuye to the west and Nsambya to the northwest.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Kansanga was primarily a middle-class residential neighborhood. Towards the late 90s, Kansanga transformed into an upscale residential area and began to accommodate corporate entities like Kampala International University and the International University of East Africa. Today, the area is cosmopolitan, with Internet cafes, clinics, hostels, upscale residential estates and night clubs. Kansanga's population is estimated to be around 40,000 people who live in its 18 zones.

Origin

 There are scanty fairy tales about why the place is called Kansanga but according to some of the inhabitants, the only one that holds some water tells that the area acquired its name from the Kabaka of Buganda as it was a route that the he often used to connect from Lake Victoria,. Apparently the king would tell his officials to meet him or Okumusanga on a road that used to crisscross around the area and the name Kansanga gradually evolved.

Housing

Brokers at United Africa for Land and Houses Services say accommodation prices are based on hostel and "rental" basis. A single "rental" goes for between Shs100,000 and Shs150,000 while a self-contained single "rental" costs between Shs200,000 and Shs250, 000.Hostels range between Shs500,000 and Shs1,000,000 per semester, depending on the services provided.

The facelift

Kansanga has tremendously developed over the years and this is definitely attributed to the two big Universities in the area. The Kampala International University (KIU) and International University Of East Africa (IUEA) both have huge numbers of students pursuing different courses. This as a result compromises the security of the area since some students get unruly and inconvenience the well-being of others.

Jackson Wazemba, a law student at KIU intimates to us that several students especially those of Kenyan origin have resorted to smoking marijuana which hasn't gone down well with the authorities and that it is not a surprise to see police escorting a familiar face to its cells because of weed smoking. He implores the police to increase the number of constables in the area if the other ‘okay' students are to feel safe.

Mr Birungibyayesu, an elder in Sebagala zone also concurs with Wazemba;

"The other day I heard the chairman imploring students to register with the local council for easy identification but they don't find it as something they need to do which I think is a very bad attitude. These kids don't even care about us the locals, their hostels are always loud with music and we the older ones can't find sleep most nights. Hostel owners also don't seem to take heed and we just resorted to feeling like strangers in our own homes"

Nightlife

Being a predominantly student locality, it is inevitable that Kansanga enjoys a vibrant nightlife and you will not be left out if you crave your nights out.

KGM, Deuces and Capital Pub are some of the standout joints in the neighborhood.

This is the kind of place that makes Kampala a crazy town to live.