The transforming face of Luzira
Due to the swelling population in Kampala City, suburbs like Luzira, Mutungo and Kitintale have become a favourable residential area. “A house goes for between sh350,000 and sh1.8m,†says Fred Nansera, a broker in Mutungo. “A plot of land close to the lakeshore is hard to acquire, but it costs
BY TITUS KAKEMBO
Due to the swelling population in Kampala City, suburbs like Luzira, Mutungo and Kitintale have become a favourable residential area. “A house goes for between sh350,000 and sh1.8m,†says Fred Nansera, a broker in Mutungo. “A plot of land close to the lakeshore is hard to acquire, but it costs between sh42m and sh300m.â€
Rent for a bedsitter in Kitintale is about sh60,000 for a bedsitter, while a three-bedroom house goes for about sh300,000. In the recent past, the cost of a 100mX50m piece of land increased from sh5m to between sh25m and sh50m.
Located on a hill jutting outwards on the north-eastern shores of Lake Victoria, Luzira is stunning. The price of a house costs between $100,000 (about sh230m ) and $500,000 (about sh1.15b). Given a scenic view, as a result of its proximity to the lakeshores, property developers and residents treasure this area. Many a tenant there, end up acquiring land and constructing houses. Reserve swamps, too have been encroached on by brick bakers, yam farmers, mat weavers, washing bays and illegal settlers.
However, till recently, this area was unpopular. It was earlier rendered infamous because of its proximity to Luzira Maximum Prison. The other reason being its proximity to the mental and psychiatry hospital, Butabika Hospital.
This history of Luzira remains checkered. It was once the place where the Idi Amin regime’s State Research Bureau committed atrocities that are well documented in the book, State of Blood by Ugandan author Henry Kyemba.
Today, developers are constructing plush apartments, mansions and bed-sits. Consequently, the Luzira landscape is being transformed with high rise structures replacing the mud and wattle ones which used to dominate the area.
Other services like private schools, health centres and supermarkets are making the place more habitable. The Uganda Investment Authority was given 62 acres of land by the Government. The land, which was previously used as prison gardens has been transformed into an industrial park.
With the nose for business, property developers like Mukwano, Tirupati and Palm Springs have joined the construction fray and put up numerous housing estates in Luzira. Kampala City Council (KCC) has made the place more accessible by constructing more roads and private garbage collectors help keep the area clean.
KCC public relations officer, Simon Muhumuza says, “The connecting roads have been upgraded and tarmacked and reliable water runways established. The onus is on local leaders to ensure that the gutters are not littered with rubbish.â€
Commuter vehicles and bodabodas operate from the city centre to Luzira around the clock. The fare ranges from sh1,000 to sh30,000, depending on the time and the mode of transport.
The challenge for KCC and the local authorities is to keep the gutters free from polythene bags, halt the rearing of livestock and Butabika Hospital keeping the mentally disturbed patients under lock and key.
To cater for the booming residential population, entrepreneurs are putting up pubs, restaurants and supermarkets. These comprise joints like Comfort Zone, Country Club, Silver Springs, Archery Club, Lake View Pub and Miami Beach. There are also a number of churches in Luzira and the surrounding areas.
Due to the swelling population in Kampala City, suburbs like Luzira, Mutungo and Kitintale have become a favourable residential area. “A house goes for between sh350,000 and sh1.8m,†says Fred Nansera, a broker in Mutungo. “A plot of land close to the lakeshore is hard to acquire, but it costs between sh42m and sh300m.â€
Rent for a bedsitter in Kitintale is about sh60,000 for a bedsitter, while a three-bedroom house goes for about sh300,000. In the recent past, the cost of a 100mX50m piece of land increased from sh5m to between sh25m and sh50m.
Located on a hill jutting outwards on the north-eastern shores of Lake Victoria, Luzira is stunning. The price of a house costs between $100,000 (about sh230m ) and $500,000 (about sh1.15b). Given a scenic view, as a result of its proximity to the lakeshores, property developers and residents treasure this area. Many a tenant there, end up acquiring land and constructing houses. Reserve swamps, too have been encroached on by brick bakers, yam farmers, mat weavers, washing bays and illegal settlers.
However, till recently, this area was unpopular. It was earlier rendered infamous because of its proximity to Luzira Maximum Prison. The other reason being its proximity to the mental and psychiatry hospital, Butabika Hospital.
This history of Luzira remains checkered. It was once the place where the Idi Amin regime’s State Research Bureau committed atrocities that are well documented in the book, State of Blood by Ugandan author Henry Kyemba.
Today, developers are constructing plush apartments, mansions and bed-sits. Consequently, the Luzira landscape is being transformed with high rise structures replacing the mud and wattle ones which used to dominate the area.
Other services like private schools, health centres and supermarkets are making the place more habitable. The Uganda Investment Authority was given 62 acres of land by the Government. The land, which was previously used as prison gardens has been transformed into an industrial park.
With the nose for business, property developers like Mukwano, Tirupati and Palm Springs have joined the construction fray and put up numerous housing estates in Luzira. Kampala City Council (KCC) has made the place more accessible by constructing more roads and private garbage collectors help keep the area clean.
KCC public relations officer, Simon Muhumuza says, “The connecting roads have been upgraded and tarmacked and reliable water runways established. The onus is on local leaders to ensure that the gutters are not littered with rubbish.â€
Commuter vehicles and bodabodas operate from the city centre to Luzira around the clock. The fare ranges from sh1,000 to sh30,000, depending on the time and the mode of transport.
The challenge for KCC and the local authorities is to keep the gutters free from polythene bags, halt the rearing of livestock and Butabika Hospital keeping the mentally disturbed patients under lock and key.
To cater for the booming residential population, entrepreneurs are putting up pubs, restaurants and supermarkets. These comprise joints like Comfort Zone, Country Club, Silver Springs, Archery Club, Lake View Pub and Miami Beach. There are also a number of churches in Luzira and the surrounding areas.