Rwimi Town: Opportunity to invest in commercial houses
Trucks drive past the Rwimi murrum road that connects it to Kamwenge. The road network here has contributed to its real estate growth. PHOTO BY ALEX ASHABA
Rwimi is the second main town of Bunyangabu District, after Kibiito Town. It is at the border of Kasese Town, on Fort Portal-Kasese Road about 41 kilometres from Fort Portal Town.
A taxi ride from Fort Portal to Rwimi is Shs4,000, and takes about 40 minutes.
Being a growing town, it is experiencing a lot of infrastructure developments and real estate speculators are buying land both within and outside town to resell in the future.
Rwimi’s proximity to Kasese Town has led to an influx of traders from Rwanda, Congo, and Kampala, rushing to invest in the area.
Some of the investors are putting up lodges and recreational centres.
Other people are rushing to the area because of affordable cost of land, which has led to the rise in construction of commercial houses.
Influx of investors
Rwimi has experienced the influx of investors for the last two years.
They have put up small scale industries, schools, eatery places, and fuel stations, among others. Because of this, the town is experiencing intensive property growth both in and outside the town in the villages of Gatyanga, Kyeibumba Kyakatabazi, and Mirambi.
Investors are building storeyed structures with their ground floors already rented out to business owners. Some property dealers are rushing to the suburbs to source plots of land for development.
The growth
One of the reasons Rwimi is growing into a real estate spot is Bunyangabu District being carved out of Kabarole District in 2017.
The landlords in town predict that after the completion of the construction of Fort portal-Kasese road, the price of land and investment in the real estate of the town will double.
Roads
Besides the Fort Portal-Kasese Road, the murrum road that connects Rwimi town to Kamwenge Town is also believed to boast real estate development in the area.
Cost of land
According to David Businge, the chairperson of Gatyanga 1 A of Rwimi West zone, the cost of land in Rwimi has gone up.
He says a 50ft by 100ft plot that was Shs5m in 2000, has now increased to Shs15m in some areas.
A 50ft by 100 ft plot on Fort Portal-Kasese Road is between Shs30m and Shs50m depending on which side of the road it is. In areas of Kyeibumba, the same plot is between Shs7m and Shs10m.
Rent
In the town, renting a commercial house on the main road is between Shs70, 000 and Shs100, 000 while renting a commercial house outside town is between Shs50, 000 and Shs70, 000.
Social services
The town has Rwimi Police Station, Rwimi Health Centre III and Rwimi market that operate every Friday.
There are also government and private primary schools such as Kyakatabazi, Gatyanga, Kabraisoke and Nyabwina. It has one secondary school - Rwimi Secondary School. The town is connected to the hydroelectricity power grid and national water pipeline.
