Namuwongo

Location

Namuwongo is located in Makindye Division, one of the five administrative divisions of Kampala. It is bordered by Lugogo to the north, Nakawa to the northeast, Kiswa and Bugoloobi to the east, Muyenga to the southeast, Kisugu and Kabalagala to the south, Kibuli to the west and Kololo to the northwest. The neighborhood is located approximately 6 kilometres (3.7 mi), by road, southeast of the central business district of the city. The coordinates of Namuwongo are:0°18'29.0"N 32°36'44.0"E (Latitude:0.308050; Longitude:32.612223).

Overview

Namuwongo is a Kampala neighborhood that was predominantly low income in the 1960s through the 1980s. However, as the population of Kampala has exploded in the 1990s and early 2000s, high-end businesses have moved into the area and raised its profile. Namuwongo's proximity to high-end Kololo and Muyenga, as well as middle-class Nakawa and Bugoloobi, has ensured that it will not be mired into the low-end of the neighborhood spectrum. Low land values arguably played a role in attracting big business to the neighborhood, at least in the beginning.

North of the railway line in Namuwongo sits a place known as "Soweto"; a slum that is divided into seven zones namely: 1. Industrial Area View 2. Go-Down 3. Kasanvu 4. Namuwongo B 5. Namuwongo A 6. Kanyogoga/Masengere 7. Yoweri Kaguta (YOKA). These zones have over 20,000 people that are living in very confined spaces, averaging 2 rooms for a family of at least 4 members.

Points of interest

Points of interest in Namuwongo include the following: