Jinja regains its glory

By Joachim Buwembo

The world's longest river, the Nile, starts its life and 6,670km journey from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea in Jinja.

It is a Mecca of sorts for the world's topmost leaders, starting with India's iconic independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, whose ashes were brought here.

Aerial view of Jinja Central Market and its surroundings

The queen of England came to Jinja in 1954 although at the time Kampala was hostile territory to the British monarch because Kabaka Edward Mutesa II was confined in the UK following his deposition and deportation by Her Majesty's government. The Queen was here to commission the Owen Falls Dam. To expand the electricity output of the dam to capacity, the World Bank extended its very first loan to Uganda, even before the country attained independence to become a member of the World Bank.

A section of Nalufenya road constructed under USMID project in Jinja 2018

King Faisal of the most powerful Islamic country, Saudi Arabia, also came to Jinja 45 years ago to see the source of the Nile. He was accompanied by his host, President Idi Amin. 

Some of the old buildings along Mainstreet in Jinja

Jinja had over the years of colonial rule and after grown into the country's industrial hub, and was home to many Indian businesses and families. Following their 1972 expulsion, the town's economic activities slumped, dwindled and all industries virtually shut down by the late seventies.

Owen falls Dam in Jinja

The Source of the Nile Bridge, also New Jinja Bridge, which was commissioned on October 17, 2018, by the President Museveni, is a cable-stayed bridge across the Victoria Nile in Uganda. It replaced the Nalubaale Bridge, which was built in 1954

Over the last two decades or so, Jinja has been experiencing a re-birth, but in a different direction altogether. Major infrastructure development has taken place in form of two new power dams, Nalubale and Budhagali, reconstruction of the roads and the marvelous new suspension bridge that hangs half a kilometer over the waters of the Nile.

President Amin with-King Faisal at the Source of the Nile

But the most significant economic activity now is tourism. Being only 80 kilometers from the capital city of Kampala, a lot of domestic tourism takes place in Jinja. Many former residences have been redeveloped into hotels, as have new ones been built. Jinja is now arguably one of the most pleasurable places to be in Uganda.

Queen Elizabeth II, at the shores of Owen Falls Dam in Jinja, 1954

Queen Elizabeth during her visit to Jinja in 1954

Jinja Mayor Majid Batambuze

The aerial view of Jinja