Kireka, where the party never stops

Kireka is the name of a township in Central Uganda. It is one of the six townships or Wards that constitute Kira Municipality in Wakiso District. The other five Wards in Kira Municipality are Bweyogerere, Kimwaanyi, Kira, Kirinnya and Kyaliwajjala.

The township is bordered by Kyaliwajjala to the north, Bweyogerere to the east, Kirinnya to the south, Banda to the west, Kyambogo and Naalya to the northwest.

Kireka is situated along the Kampala-Jinja highway, approximately 11 kilometres (6.8 miles), east of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.

Kireka is a busy township that grew out of a shopping center in the 1950s and 1960s.

It is predominantly a working class city suburb with shops, restaurants, Internet cafes, banks, several gas stations and a post office.

There is a large central market where farmers bring their produce to sell to the city folk.

History

Back then, Kireka had one of the biggest banana plantations in the country after Masaka.

According to local council chairman, Guster Mukasa, “Banana plantations were planted on a large scale around the whole village by then. The place was fertile and suitable for the food plant. As the plant ripened, the area turned yellow hence visually attractive thus people who passed by and all those who got the news about the small town by then spoke and spread a lot about it. Everyone was overheard saying ‘ensuku zigudde akaleka,” literally translated to mean “the banana plantation has gotten so ready.”

Eventually this led to the recognition of the formerly small town. It was upgraded to a small town from a mere market zone. It was hence christened “Kireka,”’ explains Mukasa.

 

 

Population

During the 2002 national census, Kireka, at about 54,000 people, comprised 38.4% of the population of Kira Municipality. In 2011, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the population of Kira Municipality of which Kireka is a part, at 179,800. Therefore, it is estimated that in 2011, the population of Kireka Township was approximately 68,000.

 
Security

Kireka town stays awake from morning to the wee hours of the morning with barely any security incidence, Wambuzi Were, a member of the local council  says that  they as locals  have administered warnings and regulations to all those who commit crimes and they have also also tried hard to sensitise everyone on how to be sensitive and aware of criminals and security in the night. This has also favoured night businesses like pubs, night clubs and other small businesses.”

 
 
Happening Places

This place truly never sleeps and come at 4:00am you will be surprised by the people jam you will find in the area.

Happening pubs like Berlin Bar, De Spenders Pub, Victoria pub among others just never close regardless of whether it is a weekday or weekend. You just have to party in Kireka.
 

Sanitation

Like all other fast-growing towns, Kireka is a clean though dusty town; all the places near the commercial center are cleaned first thing in the morning.

In the Kireka market, which by the way the locals are complaining about that it is hidden from the main road hence low sales, cleanliness is not very bad as the stakeholders make sure it is cleaned every morning.

 

Transport

Transport in Kireka is slightly cheaper since it’s near the city center. Transport varies between shs1000 and shs 2000, depending on the time and the means one chooses.

There is a small taxi park on the road that leads to Namugongo shrines and connecting is way simple.

However, Abdul Kharim Kyambadde, the General Secretary of The Kira-Bulindo Taxi Drivers and Operates laments that the place is very small and taxis are always squeezed which causes heavy traffic jam in the evening.

He beseeches the Kira Municipal Council to gazette a place for all the taxis in Kireka so as to ease transport in the area.

 

Important points of interest

The Kireka-Namugongo Road - The road to the Uganda Martyrs' Basilica at Namugongo leaves the Kampala-Jinja Highway at Kireka.

This is a popular road and if you are catholic you should really know about it.

A palace of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II; the Kireka Palace. This is where the Nabagereka is most of the times and the hill is a revered one. You should go check it out.

The Mandela National Stadium which the largest sports stadium in Uganda, with a maximum capacity of 45,000, lies in the neighboring neighborhood of Bweyogerere.