Buwaate is ripe for development

The first impression one gets of Buwaate is its tranquility; with its greenery and residential houses it still looks like a well-to-do village. This vegetation is a mixture of mature trees that rise above most buildings, banana trees, sweet potato and cassava gardens.

Located approximately 12 kilometres from Kampala city centre, Buwaate is one of the few suburbs that still has chunks of undeveloped land in prime locations. Its proximity to the city centre makes it an ideal area to consider for either residential or commercial development.

This is best illustrated by not only the number of many residential houses and apartments under construction but also the high number of plots that have been fenced off with iron sheets or barbed wired perimeter walls, signifying that construction is underway.

Development process
According to Steven Mugerwa, a boda boba motorcyclist in the area, lately, the rate of development of Buwaate is not as it was about 10 years ago. He recalls that in mid and late 2000s, the cost of a 50x10ft plot of land was not more than Shs30m.

However, lately, the same plot of land goes for at least Shs50m or more. This, Mugerwa opines, has been attributed to the fact that people have found it convenient to live a distance away from the city centre.

“Most of the residents who live here are those who believed that development would not take long to reach Buwaate and took advantage of the time when land was still cheap and bought plots from those who were willing to cash in at that time. Those who were not after putting up residential houses opted to construct rentals that were occupied over time,” Mugerwa explains.
As more land was being bought by prospective residents, it meant that more access roads had to be created to reach the virgin land that was not situated along the main Najjeera II to Buwaate Road.

This, according to Mugerwa, also led to Buwaate land being segmented between that which was meant for commercial purposes where rental apartments and units were constructed and one for private residential purposes. This explains why the population of the area has been growing over the years.

Access to Buwaate
Access to Buwaate is primarily by private and public means via the Kiwatule to Najjeera Road. You can also reach Buwaate via Kyanja and Kkungu but this is strictly by private means. There are a handful of commuter taxis that ply the different numerous access roads.

Motorcycle taxi (bod boda) from Najjeera II trading centre are the other alternative means that can help you reach your destination within the area if you do not drive.

Cost of houses and rent
Allan Sekyanzi recently moved into a self-contained house with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, two bathrooms and waterborne toilets. It is well fenced and he pays a monthly rent of Shs600,000.

However, if you need a three bedroom residential house and with two bathrooms , it will cost you about Shs800,000 and above depending on its location.

Most of these houses, according to those that Sekyanzi inspected before zeroing in on one of his choice, have in-built wardrobes, especially in the master bedroom, spacious compounds and ample parking space for residents.

The number of rooms a house has, the more rent and cost it commands, with a four bedroomed house going for between Shs280m and Shs350m or even more depending on the type, double storeyed, or bungalow.

At the moment, it is only a matter of time before Buwaate is fully occupied. Moses Kavuma, a broker in the area says that much as the cost of idle land and houses has steadily increased over the years, it has not stopped prospective residents from buying land for development.

Buwaate, he opines, is one of the quiet residential places that will give you a peace of mind.

Buwaate’s security
Much as there is Buwaate Police Station booth, most of the residents with permanent residential houses surround them with tall permanent perimeter walls, well decorated with single and double circular barbed wire mesh razors and lights that flash and point at perimeter gates, while other lights surround the rest of the houses.

Other homes have installed visible security cameras aimed around the house. For extra security, some of the homes are manned by private security personnel.