Know your hood : Kireka, the suburb that never goes to sleep
Kireka is located along a highway and is very busy. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa
What you need to know:
Few other places like Kabalagala and Wandegeya are known for working till the smaller hours, but a place that has joined the fray is the busy and fast-growing suburb
Shouting, hooting and many people pouring in from all around is what you hear and see all day in Kireka. Kireka is home to different classes of people, it is both a residential and a commercial place.
Background and history
Back then, Kireka had one of the biggest banana plantations in the country after Masaka. According to local councilor chairman Guster Mukasa, “Banana plantations were planted on a large scale around the whole village by then. The place was fertile and suitable for the food plant. As the plant ripened, the area turned yellow hence visually attractive thus people who passed by and all those who got the news about the small town by then spoke and spread a lot about it. Everyone was overheard saying ‘ensuku zinkude akalega,” literally translated to mean “the banana plantation has gotten so ready.”
Eventually this led to the recognition of the fomerly small town. It was upgraded to a small town from a mere market zone. It was hence christened “Kireka,”’ ,explains Mukasa.
Location and places around the town
Kireka is located in the main town of Kiira Wakiso district along Jinja highway and supervised by the Kabaka under the Buganda Land Board.
Kireka is surrounded by Namboole and Bweyogerere in the north, the east with the big hill where the Kabaka’s palace rests, Banda in the south and Namugongo to the west.
Security
Kireka town stays awake from morning to the wee hours of the morning with barely any security incidences. Defense secretary Local Councilor, Godfrey Sejjemba says, “we have administered warnings and regulations to all those who commit crimes and we also tried hard to sensitise everyone on how to be sensitive and aware of criminals and security in the night. This has also favoured night businesses like pubs, night clubs and other small businesses.”
Social places around the town
Like any other town, social places have been set-up. With very many social places for instance night clubs like De Spenders, Asylum and Victoria club among others, restaurants like I Feel Like Chicken Tonight, Petima Restaurant.
Hygiene, transport
Like all other fast-growing towns, Kireka is a clean though dusty town, all the places near the commercial center are cleaned first thing in the morning Transport on the other hand is slightly cheaper since it’s near the city center. Transport varies between Shs800 and Shs1,500, depending on the time and the means one chooses.
Land and rent
Accommodation in Kireka is a bit on the higher side. A single room costs roughly Shs100,000- 150, 000
Two rooms costs roughly Shs200,000- Shs300,000
Self-contained rooms costs between Shs350,000 and Shs500,000
A 50 by 100 around commercial plot costs between Shs600m and Shs800m
A 30 by 50 commercial plot of land costs between Shs100m and Shs120m
A 50 by 100 along Kamuli Road costs roughly Shs50m and Shs70m
A 30 by 50 plot deep in the village of the town costs roughly Shs40m- Shs60m
A 50 by 100 in Kasokoso roughly costs Shs45m- Shs50m
