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Kampala

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

A scenic view of buildings and city life in Kampala, Uganda.

Main article: Kampala

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. It is divided into five areas: Kampala Central, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, and Rubaga.

The surrounding area has a growing population of around six million people. Kampala is very important to Uganda's economy.

Kampala is one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. It is often named the best place to live in East Africa, better than Nairobi and Kigali.

Etymology

Kampala’s name comes from a hill called Old Kampala. The British built Fort Lugard there. Before that, it was a special place for the king of Buganda to hunt impala animals. The British called the hill “The Hill of the Impala.” Local people translated this name into their language, calling it Akasozi k’empala. Over time, this became k'empala, and finally “Kampala.” In their language, Kasozi means "hill", ke means "of", and empala refers to impalas. This is how the city got its name.

History

For a chronological guide, see Timeline of Kampala.

This area of many hills and swamps later called Kampala was part of the Buganda Kingdom. It was where the kings, called Kabaka, set up their capital, called Kibuga, on a new hill each time.

19th century

The first written description of this Kibuga was by explorer Sir Richard Burton in 1860. He described it as a long settlement with buildings made of cane and rattan.

In 1862, explorer John Speke arrived when the capital was at Bandabarogo, now Banda Hill. In 1875, Henry Morton Stanley visited when the capital was at Lubaga Hill.

Kampala, the city from Cathedral Hill in 1936

He wrote a letter asking missionaries to come to Buganda. He also described the Kibuga in his reports.

In 1877, the first missionaries from the Church Mission Society arrived and were given Namirembe Hill. In 1879, the Catholic White Fathers arrived and settled near Lubaga.

In 1890, Frederick Lugard arrived and made a treaty with the king, Kabaka Mwanga II. He was given Old Kampala Hill and built a fort there.

In 1895, the first school in Kampala, Mengo Senior School, opened on Namirembe hill.

In 1897, the king started a rebellion but was defeated and sent away in 1899. A young king was chosen.

Also in 1897, the first health facility, Mengo Hospital, opened on Namirembe hill. In 1913, Mulago Hospital, the national hospital, was founded at Mulago hill.

In 1899, Lubaga Hospital was founded on Lubaga Hill.

20th century

In 1900, leaders signed an agreement that changed how land was owned and used in Kampala.

Kampala. The Imperial Hotel in 1936.

Land in the capital was given to the king, leaders, and religious groups. The government got some land too.

Laws were made to organize these land changes.

In 1906, Kampala Township was officially created.

In 1912, Kampala got its first land-use plan.

In 1922, Makerere, Kampala's oldest university, was founded.

In 1930, plans were made for sewage in parts of Kampala.

In 1931, the railway reached Kampala.

In 1938, electric street lights were turned on in Kampala.

Kampala in 1950s

In 1945, a new plan was made to grow Kampala eastwards. A later plan in 1951 expanded Kampala to a larger area.

On 9 October, 1962, Uganda became independent and Kampala became the capital city.

In 1968, Kampala's area was made larger to include more neighborhoods.

In 1972, a new plan was made but was never used because of problems in the country.

In January 1986, there was a battle in Kampala during a war. The city was captured by new leaders.

Another plan made in 1994 was also never used.

21st century

In 2010, a new law gave the government more control over Kampala and created a planning authority to improve the city and nearby areas.

Geography

The City of Kampala covers an area of 189 km2 (73 square miles), with 176 km2 (68 square miles) of land and 13 km2 (5 square miles) of water. It is hilly, with valleys filled with slow rivers and swamps. The highest point in the city is Kololo hill at 1,311 metres (4,301 ft), located in the center. The lowest point is at the shores of Lake Victoria south of the city center, at 1,135 metres (3,724 ft).

Kampala was originally built on seven hills. These include Old Kampala Hill, Mengo Hill, Kibuli Hill, Namirembe Hill, Lubaga Hill, Nsambya Hill, and Nakasero Hill. Because of its hills and tropical climate, the valleys have slow rivers and swamps that flow toward Lake Victoria or north. These swamps cover about 15% of the land and include Kinawataka swamp river, Nakivubo swamp river, Lubigi swamp, Kansanga swamp, and Kyetinda swamp.

Lake Victoria

Kampala has a tropical rainforest climate with two wetter seasons each year. The city gets more rain from August to December and from February to June. April usually has the heaviest rain, with an average of around 169 millimetres (6.7 in).

Topography

Apartment block in Kololo

Vegetation

Kampala was once covered with short grasses on the hilltops, elephant grass, and plants like papyrus in the swamps. The area also had evergreen forests with trees such as African olive and Natal fig.

Geology

Kampala is located on the East African Plateau between the two arms of the East African Rift and on the northern limits of Tanzania Craton.

Climate

Education

Kampala has many schools and universities. Young children can go to pre-primary schools when they are very little. These schools are usually run by private groups and watched over by the government.

The city has lots of primary and secondary schools in every area. Most of these schools are private, but a few belong to the government. Some well-known private schools include Kampala Parents School, Aga Khan School, Gayaza High School, and Kawempe Muslim secondary school.

Kampala is also home to many universities, such as Makerere University, Kyambogo University, and Kampala University, along with several other institutions offering training in many different fields.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of Uganda

The number of people in Kampala has grown very fast. In 1948, only 62,264 people lived there. By 2002, that number had grown to 1,189,142, and in 2014, it was 1,507,080. In 2019, about 1,650,800 people called Kampala home. The most recent count in 2024 showed that Kampala had 1,797,722 residents.

As the capital and main city of Uganda, Kampala has people from many different backgrounds. Many people in Kampala come from all parts of Uganda and also from nearby countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Somalia. Some people even come from places as far away as India and China.

Even though people in Kampala work and live close together, they often still feel connected to their own ethnic groups. This is clear in the languages they speak at home, work, and in public places. Besides Luganda and English, other languages are also used. Large groups of people in Kampala include the Baganda, Banyankole, Basoga, Bafumbira, Batoro, Bakiga, Alur, Bagisu, Banyoro, Iteso, Langi, and Acholi.

Year194819591969198019912002201420192024
Kampala (city proper)62,264107,058330,700458,503774,2411,189,1421,507,0801,650,8001,797,722

Culture

Kampala is a city full of culture and history. You can visit important places like the Uganda Museum and the Ugandan National Theatre. The city is also home to the Buganda kingdom in Mengo. One famous spot is the Kasubi Tombs, where the kings of Buganda are buried. The Independence Monument in the center of Kampala reminds everyone of Uganda's freedom.

Kampala has busy markets and shopping areas. Owino market (also called St Balikuddembe market) is full of different items like clothes, shoes, and fresh food. There are also modern shopping places such as Acacia Mall in kamwookya, Arena Mall in Nsambya, and Village Mall in bugolobi. The city’s nightlife is fun, with music and dance in areas like Kabalagala and Kololo.

Kampala has many places to enjoy meals. You can try local dishes like TV Chicken, which is roasted in a special oven that you can watch. In May and November, you can find nsenene vendors selling grasshoppers. Gaba Fish Market on Lake Victoria is the biggest fish market in the city.

The Ndere Cultural Centre in Kisasi promotes Ugandan and African cultural traditions through music, dance, and drama. The centre’s name comes from the word endere, meaning flute, and it has a famous music and dance group that performs often.

Sport

Kampala is a lively city for sports, especially basketball. The City Oilers are one of the top basketball teams in East Africa. They play at the MTN Arena in the Lugogo Area.

The city has hosted big events like the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the Rugby Africa Cup at the Mandela National Stadium. It will also host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations together with Tanzania and Kenya.

The Mandela National Stadium is Uganda’s largest sports venue. It can hold over 45,000 people and is used for football, athletics, and concerts. It is where the Uganda national football team, the Cranes, play.

Lugogo Sports Complex has facilities for tennis, cricket, and boxing. The MTN Arena there is a modern indoor space for basketball, netball, volleyball, and more. The Lugogo Cricket Oval is important for cricket in Uganda.

The Kampala Golf Club is the country’s oldest golf course.

The renewed Hamz Nakivubo Stadium is located in the city center.

Kampala has many football clubs in the Uganda Premier League, such as Kampala Capital City Authority FC, SC Villa, Police FC, and Express FC. There are also teams in the FUFA Women Super League like Kawempe Muslim LFC and Lady Doves FC.

Economy

People are moving big factories to a special area called the Kampala Business and Industrial Park in Namanve, Mukono District. This area is east of the city to help reduce traffic. Many important companies have offices in the city centre, like all 25 commercial banks in Uganda, the New Vision Group, and Air Uganda.

Many people in Kampala work in small jobs to earn extra money, like farming or driving taxis. Some people use wet areas near the city to grow food, which they sell in markets. In 2015, Google started a Wi-Fi network in Kampala to help people get online. The city also gave land for more farming in the Nakawa Division.

Transport

Kampala has Entebbe International Airport, the biggest airport in Uganda.

Boda-bodas, which are local motorbike taxis, are a popular way to travel around the city. They can help you get through busy traffic.

There have been plans to start a city bus service to help people move around more easily. Some bus services have started, but there have been delays. There are also plans for a light rail system similar to one in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Places of worship

Kampala has many important buildings where people gather for their faith. Some well-known places include the Baháʼí House of Worship in Kampala, St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral on Namirembe Hill, and Rubaga Cathedral, the main church for the Roman Catholic community. The city also has the Uganda National Mosque for those who follow Islam.

The city has many Christian churches, such as the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala, Church of Uganda, Presbyterian Church in Uganda, Baptist Union of Uganda, and Assemblies of God. There are also mosques for the Muslim community. The Bahá'í House of Worship, called the Mother Temple of Africa, is on Kikaya Hill just outside the city and opened in January 1961.

Health care

Kampala is the main place in Uganda for health care. It has public hospitals, private clinics, and special medical centers that help people living there and visitors from other countries. The government takes care of public health in Kampala through the Ministry of Health.

One big hospital is Mulago National Referral Hospital, the largest public hospital in Uganda. Mulago also teaches doctors from Makerere University and offers many services. Public hospitals are usually cheaper or free, but they can be very busy.

Kampala also has many private hospitals and clinics. Some well-known private places are Nakasero Hospital, International Hospital Kampala (IHK), Kampala Hospital, and Case Hospital. Private places usually have better equipment and are faster but cost more money. Many of them accept health insurance from other countries, but it’s good to check first.

Notable people

Politics

Heads of state

Monarchs

Other officials

Activists

Artists

Business

Chess

Fashion

Film and television

Journalists

Law

  • Julia Sebutinde (born 1954), jurist on the International Court of Justice

Music

Public speakers

Religion and spirituality

Scientists and academics

Sport

Writers

Other

People awarded the honorary citizenship of Kampala are:

Images

The Bahá'í Temple in Kampala, Uganda, is a beautiful and peaceful building that serves as a place of worship and reflection.
Mengo Palace, the traditional home of the Kabaka of Buganda, is a significant cultural site in Uganda.
The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its traditional African architecture and cultural importance.
Aerial view of the Gaddafi Mosque in Uganda, a notable national cultural site.
A view of Lubaga Cathedral, also known as St Mary's Cathedral Rubaga, located in Kampala, Uganda.
A nighttime aerial view of Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo, Kampala, showing the illuminated stadium and surrounding area.
The Ivory Tower at Makerere University, which was damaged in a fire and is now being restored.
The entrance to a museum building, showcasing architecture and a place where kids can learn about history and culture.
A map showing the countries of Africa, perfect for learning geography!

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This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Kampala, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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