Kampala, a city of night follies
Did you know that Kampala turns into a city of mischief and madness at night? Ask any socialites about what becomes of the city of seven hills — the nights are crazy.
By Pidson Kareire
Did you know that Kampala turns into a city of mischief and madness at night? Ask any socialites about what becomes of the city of seven hills — the nights are crazy.
Nightspots are dominated by sleaze and evil acts, spiced up with music and strip tease (kimansulo).
Whites dominate Kabalagala and Kansanga bars. These places are christened expatriates’ bars. They are open 24-hours and sometimes close briefly in the morning. Men who cannot settle with one woman do not need to look any further, there are many prostitutes.
However, beware of the exchange rates. Many of these female patrons are cultural slaves. they prefer to be paid in foreign currency.
Whereas in most places touching a woman’s bottom earns you a slap, in Kabalagala and Kansanga, you get a smile and an invitation. The people do not go home or to lodges when they feel like making out, a dark corner or a car can do.
These places are full of daring prostitutes, who kiss the men in the open! The lifestyle can be summed up into drinking, smoking, eating and fornicating.
On First and Second Street, where clubs Ange Noir and Silk are located, prostitutes parade near the clubs at 7:30pm. The place is reminiscent of California’s beaches; men and women fondle as passers-by go about their business. The used condoms give you a hint of what takes place in that part of the city at night. What is surprising is that these places double as eating premises during the day.
The centre of the city near Nakasero Market is known for housing Rwandese prostitutes. It is nicknamed ‘World Market’. Even men of high-class park their sleek cars far away and walk or ride on boda-bodas to the city centre.
Inside the pubs, men sit cross-legged with half-nude women on their laps, while others let loose on the dance floor in a drunken stupor. As the DJ plays music, drugs take priority over food. Drug traffickers and addicts linger around as they go about their business.
On Fridays, Kampala is gripped by the weekend frenzy. Even the Rwandese babes board buses to Kampala. They storm Kampala nightspots with valour and return to Kigali on Mondays. Kampala socialites go to places where these babes have colonies. The places include Rock Gardens, Kabalagala-Kansanga and Sax Pub.
At Cooper Road, Kisementi in Kamwokya, spoilt brats roam the place, especially on Wednesday nights. Ganja (marijuana) smokers join them and by midnight, the place is fully packed. The situation here is similar to the one at Lumumba Avenue, where many foreign students prefer to hang out.
At the National Theatre, Monday nights are memorable. White tourists interact freely with dread-locked men and women, who contaminate the air with ganja smoke. The language here is either Pidgin English or feigned Jamaican. On close interaction with them, it may take you hours to identify a sober person.
On Fridays, revellers storm Rubaga and Nakulabye to watch the Black Angels a.k.a. ‘naked virgins’. By 11:00pm, the places are full to capacity. Fans part with sh2,000.
One nightspot in Nakulabye has this writing pinned up on the gate: “Management reserves the right of admission. No fire arms or any dangerous weapons and cameras allowed inside.â€
The show begins with karaoke and later turns into kimansulo. There is no respect or fear for the divine as the DJs spin the discs and play Judith Babirye’s Beeranange, a popular gospel track.
The girls peel off their briefs, step forward showing off their private parts and move around showing what their mamas gave them.
A bar in Wandegeya, popularly known as Akacwampare, is another favourite hangout at night. Revellers throng the place to listen to their much-loved obscenities. When the resident band plays their popular song, Omudedeso, revellers storm the floor and dance like they are mating.
The dance floor extends to the middle of the road leading to Bermuda Triangle, another popular spot. Wandegeya never goes to sleep. Patrons leave the place briefly to go to other nightclubs and come back before retiring to their homes.
Being a residential area, you would expect Bugolobi to be quiet at night, but as you enter the trading centre, music and the pork aroma hit you.
In Ntinda, the first bar to close does so at 2:00am and the last one at 8:00am. Here, the patrons have permanent seats. You are assured of not drinking on an empty stomach, as there is plenty of pork. The lifestyle in many suburbs of Kampala is predictable. This and a lot more happens, especially as morning approaches.
Did you know that Kampala turns into a city of mischief and madness at night? Ask any socialites about what becomes of the city of seven hills — the nights are crazy.
Nightspots are dominated by sleaze and evil acts, spiced up with music and strip tease (kimansulo).
Whites dominate Kabalagala and Kansanga bars. These places are christened expatriates’ bars. They are open 24-hours and sometimes close briefly in the morning. Men who cannot settle with one woman do not need to look any further, there are many prostitutes.
However, beware of the exchange rates. Many of these female patrons are cultural slaves. they prefer to be paid in foreign currency.
Whereas in most places touching a woman’s bottom earns you a slap, in Kabalagala and Kansanga, you get a smile and an invitation. The people do not go home or to lodges when they feel like making out, a dark corner or a car can do.
These places are full of daring prostitutes, who kiss the men in the open! The lifestyle can be summed up into drinking, smoking, eating and fornicating.
On First and Second Street, where clubs Ange Noir and Silk are located, prostitutes parade near the clubs at 7:30pm. The place is reminiscent of California’s beaches; men and women fondle as passers-by go about their business. The used condoms give you a hint of what takes place in that part of the city at night. What is surprising is that these places double as eating premises during the day.
The centre of the city near Nakasero Market is known for housing Rwandese prostitutes. It is nicknamed ‘World Market’. Even men of high-class park their sleek cars far away and walk or ride on boda-bodas to the city centre.
Inside the pubs, men sit cross-legged with half-nude women on their laps, while others let loose on the dance floor in a drunken stupor. As the DJ plays music, drugs take priority over food. Drug traffickers and addicts linger around as they go about their business.
On Fridays, Kampala is gripped by the weekend frenzy. Even the Rwandese babes board buses to Kampala. They storm Kampala nightspots with valour and return to Kigali on Mondays. Kampala socialites go to places where these babes have colonies. The places include Rock Gardens, Kabalagala-Kansanga and Sax Pub.
At Cooper Road, Kisementi in Kamwokya, spoilt brats roam the place, especially on Wednesday nights. Ganja (marijuana) smokers join them and by midnight, the place is fully packed. The situation here is similar to the one at Lumumba Avenue, where many foreign students prefer to hang out.
At the National Theatre, Monday nights are memorable. White tourists interact freely with dread-locked men and women, who contaminate the air with ganja smoke. The language here is either Pidgin English or feigned Jamaican. On close interaction with them, it may take you hours to identify a sober person.
On Fridays, revellers storm Rubaga and Nakulabye to watch the Black Angels a.k.a. ‘naked virgins’. By 11:00pm, the places are full to capacity. Fans part with sh2,000.
One nightspot in Nakulabye has this writing pinned up on the gate: “Management reserves the right of admission. No fire arms or any dangerous weapons and cameras allowed inside.â€
The show begins with karaoke and later turns into kimansulo. There is no respect or fear for the divine as the DJs spin the discs and play Judith Babirye’s Beeranange, a popular gospel track.
The girls peel off their briefs, step forward showing off their private parts and move around showing what their mamas gave them.
A bar in Wandegeya, popularly known as Akacwampare, is another favourite hangout at night. Revellers throng the place to listen to their much-loved obscenities. When the resident band plays their popular song, Omudedeso, revellers storm the floor and dance like they are mating.
The dance floor extends to the middle of the road leading to Bermuda Triangle, another popular spot. Wandegeya never goes to sleep. Patrons leave the place briefly to go to other nightclubs and come back before retiring to their homes.
Being a residential area, you would expect Bugolobi to be quiet at night, but as you enter the trading centre, music and the pork aroma hit you.
In Ntinda, the first bar to close does so at 2:00am and the last one at 8:00am. Here, the patrons have permanent seats. You are assured of not drinking on an empty stomach, as there is plenty of pork. The lifestyle in many suburbs of Kampala is predictable. This and a lot more happens, especially as morning approaches.