An area recovering from insecurity

Kikajjo used to be a remote area, but at the moment, people have started building nice houses in the locality and this is mainly because of the establishment of a Police Post in the area which has made the police secure. Photos by Michael Makumirizi

What you need to know:

In the past, Kikajjo was synonymous with thieves because of the high rate of robberies in the area. However, the situation has changed with the establishment of a police station in the locality.

When you hear the name Kikajjo, the first thing that crosses your mind is that it is more than 50 kilometres out of Kampala. However, this place that was once synonymous with thieves a few years ago is only 4km from the city centre.

It is located between Namasuba and Masajja A, off Entebbe Road in Wakiso District.
History. According to Johnstone Bukenya, the area LC1 chairman, Kikajjo got its name from an event that happened in the area. He explains that when Kabaka Kyabaggu, the third son of Prince Musanje Golooba was on his way to Busabala, he sat under a tree where he saw a sugarcane plantation locally known as ‘kikajjo’ and at that moment, he felt like chewing one, so he ordered his servants to get it for him which they did and thus the name.

Facilities
Kikajjo has dirt roads running through thus making it dusty in the dry season and muddy when it rains. The area has both spring wells and piped water. Clinics are also common in Kikajjo to provide residents health services. Bukenya also explains that the area has a number of private primary and secondary schools.

Development
Bukenya says the area has grown steadily as people have built and more are looking for land in the area because of recent developments. More so, the establishment of a police post in the area has attracted more people because police ensure that there is law and order in the area.

Security
Gerald Atuhairwe, a police officer at Kikajjo Police Post says the area is a great place as residential. He explains that initially, crime rate in this area was high.
However, people in the area met the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kaihura, and discussed their problems thus the establishment of a Police Post in 1997.

“This has seen the return of calm in the area. However, we still have a problem of dead bodies being dumped here. “Most of these bodies are fetched from elsewhere and dumped on the nearby hill,” he says. He, however, adds that they have beefed up the security in that part to arrest whoever is caught in the act.

Land and Housing
Housing. Renting a two bedroomed house with electricity ranges from Shs150,000 to Shs250,000 and one without electricity ranges from Shs80,000 to Shs100,000. A single room with electricity ranges from Shs50,000 to Shs70,000 and without goes for Shs50,000 depending its location.
Land. The cost of a 50ft by 100ft piece of land costs between Shs10m and Shs30m depending on where you are buying it ans the person selling it to you.