Nsangi Town: Home to Buganda’s coronation site
The hill is also the location of several elementary, middle and high schools, including Kings College Budo. PHOTO BY SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA
Nsangi is a sub-county located on the tarmacked, all-weather Kampala - Masaka Highway. It is located approximately 20 kilometres west of Kampala by road. The exact population of Nsangi is not known as at February 2015.
The sub-county has 10 zones with not less than four villages in each zone. However, only the three zones of Nsangi, Buddo and Kyengera, are well known.
Mastula Namuddu, a land broker in the area says: “One of the most known activities in the area is mediating between land buyers and land owners. This has unfortunately opened doors to land fragmentation, which has caused a lot of conflict in the area.”
Tourism
Jane Kamya, a former woman councillor for Nsangi says the area is endowed with a number of tourist sites that make it one of the most important regions of Buganda.
The main tourism attraction is the Naggalabi Coronation site, the official coronation site for all Kings of Buganda Kingdom (Kabakas). It is believed that it is here that Buganda Kingdom was born during the 14th century.
The hill is also the location of several elementary, middle and high schools, including Kings College Budo, a prestigious mixed boarding high school, attended by Buganda’s Kings starting with Captain Sir Daudi Chwa II , the 34th Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, who reigned between 1987 and 1939.
Infrastructure
Kamya says just like any other developing town, most of the roads in Nsangi are murram. She, however, adds that infrastructural development in the area has improved since many private schools have been constructed there. Nsangi Secondary School is the only government secondary school in the district.
Health
Kamya says Nsangi has only one health centre III, which at times fails to handle certain health complications, which are referred to Mulago Referral Hospital for proper management. She adds however that there are private hospitals being set up in the area and these have helped narrow the service gap.
Water supply
“The biggest challenge in Nsangi is the limited water supply, especially during dry spells as piped water has not been commissioned in the region. “During dry seasons, a jerrycan of water goes for Shs700, which makes it very hard for many citizens to access water,” says Kamya.
Buying land and rent
Namuddu says land in the area is affordable especially in Maya, Kazinga and Kasenge zones. An acre of land costs between Shs30m to Shs45m whereas a 50 by 50 feet plot of land goes for between Shs8m to Shs10m.
To get a 100 by 100 feet plot of land, one would have to pay Shs18m or more.
Barnabas Kasule, a resident of Maya zone says rent prices in Nsangi are friendly. A single room costs Shs70,000, while a double room goes for Shs150,000 per month. A self-contained room costs Shs350,000.
“However, securing a double room rental for business is a bit costly since most business houses are located along the main highway, which makes them more expensive.
Security
“There are no police patrols which has created a gap for criminals to terrorise residents, making the area largely unsafe,” says Hajj Abdul Kiyimba, the area LC3 chairman.
