Nabusugwe, a residential area oozing new money

Nabusugwe is the new ‘to stay’ residential area located 25km East of Kampala. It can be accessed via Kira-Bulindo road or from Kyaliwajjala-Namugongo when you turn off at the Namugongo Protestant Martyrs Shrine in Goma Division, Mukono Municipality. It overlooks Jjanda village, just after Mamre Prayer Centre.
Nabusugwe can also be accessed from Seeta through Misindye and Kiwango-Bukeerere.

On the western side, it borders Kitukutwe, Nsasa, Paapati and Bulindo villages where you can capture a great sunset just above the Umeme sub-station. To the east lies Bukeerere and the proposed National Housing Estate, while to the the south sits a stone quarry.
The estate sits on approximately 50 acres of land with some enchanting hills and valleys. There is also a stream to the west that forms a boundary to the rest of the villages.

Haphazard planning
It has a clear distinction of new money about it with an enchanting village feel. The village has a display of architectural designs with varying fashions, sizes and roofings that jut out from every built up plot; typical of a hurriedly planned estate.
This is because a bungalow sits next to a storeyed home while a set of apartments sits hidden between different houses, clearly fighting for attention.

In some places, you will find a pit latrine built next to a neighbour’s gate and in most cases, a tiled-roof house faces south while the next to it faces north with a blue iron roof. Nothing is agreed upon if certain zones must have bungalows, storeyed houses or apartments. Although there are access roads, some perimetre walls are built in road reserves, with some walls as high as 12 feet.

According to Judith Sserunkuuma, an architect, a wall around a residential house should not exceed six feet. If one wants to secure their home, they can instead put iron bars between the spaces. Otherwise, such homes would be very hot during the day and night and one would be forced to use a fan or incur an extra cost of cooling the home.

The streets
There seems to be no agreed naming for the different drives, roads and lanes. Teso drive sits prominently as you enter the estate from the south. Opposite Teso Drive is Martyrs drive. The signage is not uniform. Just below those imposing signs, you are welcomed to Beach lane. There is also Springdale and Victoria drive. On the southern side (the most hilly part) is James lane.

Social amenities
There seems to be no garbage collection point. There is, however, a garbage company that collects garbage from subscribing residents’ homes. As you return home and forget to do your shopping in Namugongo, Kyaliwajjala or Kira, there is Namukasa Shopping Centre where you can get most necessities.
Nabusugwe has a kindargaten and no primary school within close range save for Kimanje Primary School. Many parents take their children to Hillside Naalya Primary School, which explains the heavy morning and evening traffic along Namugongo-Kyaliwajjala road.
There is national water connectivity and electricity which, was the major luring by Jomayi Properties. Some homes have solar panels in case there is load shedding.

Roads
Most access roads are murram and potholed which makes access to the area hard but since most residents own cars, they just have to contend with traffic jam. There is a mosque and churches within driving distance. There are few commuter taxis for early morning hours and evenings. Otherwise, most residents are ‘my cars’.
For those who love to get a drink with neighbours, there is no such a thing as a bar in the sprawling estate. Such are found either in Kira or Namugongo.

Cost of land and rent
Yosamu Ziriddamu, the area chairman, says compared to 10 years ago when a plot of land would sell at between Shs4m and Shs6m, nowadays, a 50x100ft plot costs between Shs25m and Shs30m on the hilly side while in the low lying areas, the cost goes up to Shs40m. Rental units go for an average between Shs350,000 and Shs500,000for a two bedroom apartment.

Security
Although there was a police post at Nsasa Trading Centre, to ensure security, residents have donated a piece of land to police and are contributing money to erect their own police post.

Tit bits
• Nabusugwe is the new ‘to stay’ residential area located 25km east of Kampala. It can be accessed via Kira-Bulindo road or from Kyaliwajjala-Namugongo turning off at the Namugongo Protestant Martyrs shrine in Goma Division, Mukono Municipality.
• Rental units go for an average of between Shs350,000 and Shs500,000for a two bedroom apartment.