A grasshopper ‘hotspot’
While Wakaliga has developed, you will still find slums in the area because of the high population. photo by shabibah nakirigya.
Off Masaka-Kampala road in Rubaga Division is where you find an area called Wakaliga, home to a number of army veterans. It is only six kilometres away from the city centre.
History
The name Wakaliga was adopted from the late William Mutyaba, a man who used to rear sheep in the area. He had so many sheep that people started calling the place Wakaliga, which means the place with a lot of sheep.
Developments
The LC1 chairman, Daniel Kyobe, says Wakaliga village used to be a bushy area in the 1980s but it has developed though it is still considered to be a slum because of the shanty houses. However, many businesses have been put in place and the number of residents has increased to more than 7,000.
Kyobe explains that businesses such as carpentry, grain milling factories and grasshopper trapping are common in the area. He explains, “Now that the grasshopper season is closing in, you will find very many trapping sites in this area.”
Water and electricity
The area has boreholes, wells and piped water. Residents who do not have piped water in their homes can get it from either the boreholes or wells in the area.
Additotinally, they have power supply in the area although they have a high rate of illegal power connections during the grasshopper season as people use the lights to trap grasshoppers.
Community setup
Kyobe says since Wakaliga is near the city centre, people find it suitable for both residential and commercial purposes.
“This is why you will find different tribes like Baganda, Banyankole, Banyarwanda and even those from the north,” he adds.
Security
The village chairperson adds that despite the high population, the crime rate in the area is low. But when they get some cases, they are referred to the Veterans’ Police Post and Old Kampala Police Station and the suspects are prosecuted at Bulange Magistrates’ Court.
Land and housing
Land. The land in Wakigali is divided in to three managements, Kabaka land, the veterans’ land and central government. However, it is not easy to find land for sale in Wakaliga because those who own it rather develop it than selling it off.
Housing. Renting a three-bedroomed house in the area costs between Shs300,000 and Shs500,000 while renting a single roomed shop costs between Shs150,000 and 400,000 depending on its location.
