KNOW YOUR HOOD: Minister’s Village; An area that was meant for ministers

Above, the sign post of Minister’s Village Hotel, a landmark in the area. Below, a view of some of the well-constructed but empty roads in the Minister’s Village. Photos by Michael Kakumilizi

What you need to know:

A place with the highest number of non-government-organisation offices, Ministers’ Village is one of the areas that has good roads.

Ntinda is a noisy place. But on the way from Nakawa, before you branch off on your left, to the route that leads to Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB), things change.

On your right hand side, you will be welcomed by a big sign post that bears the name, Minister’s Village hotel. From that sign post, you will hardly hear any sound of a car as you follow that route ahead.

If luck is on your side, you will meet at least two people in this place, until you get to Kyambogo road. Almost everyone is in a fenced house. This is the place named Minister’s Village in Ntinda. It is said to be the biggest residential area in the area.

Origin
According to Mr Patrick Mugisha, the chairman and also Security Officer of Minister’s Village, the original name of the place is Village 19. “In the 1970s, there was a small estate that was built; it was planned by the government to accommodate ministers and some senior government officials in Village 19, the estate was put up by National Housing and they called it Ministerio Village, but located in Village 19. Other ministers and government officials left the place, the people who came to stay there then called the whole place Minister’s Village which is it’s name now.”

But although many officials left, people like Hon Mayanja Nkangi who was once Minister of Finance and Former Chief Justice Samuel Wako Wambuzi among others are still leaving in the area.

Development
“Since the place was constructed to accommodate senior government officials, it has seen development since the mid 1970s up to present,” Mr Mugisha adds. He goes on to say that the place has been respected by many people therefore it has been taken care of in regards to renovations and working on the roads.
He further explains that the place was meant for only residential houses but it now has schools and offices which were just put up recently. Apart from Ntinda School of the Deaf, there are only nursery schools in Ministers Village; some of these include Mother Goose Nursery School and Prime Educare.

Security
Mr Mugisha says there have been some cases of crime in this place. “There have always been cases of theft although not on a high rate.”

Transport fares
Being located not so far away from the city centre, a taxi to and fro Minister’s Village costs Shs1,000. A boda-boda goes to about Shs3,000 to Shs5,000 depending on one’s bargaining power.

The chairman adds that there is no police station in Minister’s Village but as the security officer, he has always worked with Ntinda Police station to ensure that security is tight in the area.

Therefore, if you happen to get a house in the Minister’s Village, it does not matter whether it is rented or your own. Just know you are living in one of Kampala’s classy residential areas.