Bed spaces: Cost-effective short-term accommodation

Tucked away through a hidden corridor in Wabiduku, Kiwatule, is a busy compound. The square-shaped space hosts people enjoying a variety of drinks and listening to music while others relax and refresh after what appear to be long journeys. Surrounding them are boys’ quarters - like structures. Inside one of the structures are small rooms, clearly intended for single occupancy partitioned using wooden materials. Each room is neatly cemented and clean. Peace, the caretaker of the property, explains that staying in one of the rooms for a day costs Shs7,000, while a day-and-night stay is priced at Shs10,000. The fee includes access to amenities such as water and toilets.

Nansana, Wakiso

Swaib Lukyamuzi has been running a bed space in Nansana, Wakiso District since last year. For him, it was never about maximising profits. Instead, it was about fulfilling a personal calling inspired by his own struggles. 

Having once gone through a period of financial hardship, Lukyamuzi found himself sharing cramped rooms with as many as six people. This experience gave him a deep understanding of the challenges young people face when seeking affordable housing in the city. 

Lukyamuzi, who had previously worked in the entertainment industry, began selling clothes during the Covid-19 pandemic. He sourced these clothes from vendors at Owino Market in Kampala and travelled across Mubende District, often spending two or more days in various markets to sell them. 

This experience opened his eyes to the struggles of many people who were silently suffering without a place to sleep. “At times, five of us would beg a lodge caretaker to let us share a room for Shs20,000, just so we could freshen up and have access to water. On tougher days, we would sleep among the clothes in the markets or use sacks as bedding.

This was my life throughout the entire Covid-19 lockdown,” he shares. When the pandemic ended and the entertainment industry reopened, Lukyamuzi left the clothing business and returned to his roots in the entertainment sector. He worked in gaming stations, promoted bars, and collaborated with dancers and karaoke singers. 

During this time, many of the dancers, especially young women, confided in him about not having a place to sleep after their gigs. “Often, they had only Shs10,000 or 20,000, barely enough to rent a room. I would ask my female friend to escort them to my place to spend the night, even though some ended up stealing my belongings. 

Eventually, I got married and moved to a bigger home, but after separating from my partner, I was left alone in a house that felt too large,” he recalls. In 2023, Lukyamuzi’s friend, who was mobilising dancers for a show, reached out to him. His group of eight dancers had not been paid and could not afford transport or accommodation, so Lukyamuzi offered to host them for the night. 

“Even with all eight in the room, there was still space left. That moment sparked an idea; perhaps I could use the space to offer temporary shelter to others. At first, I did not charge anyone, driven by my past experiences and my desire to help,” he explains.

Motivation

Later, Lukyamuzi came across decker beds on sale and shared his intention to start a bed space business with people around him. He was warned that he could face arrest, as such spaces were often associated with harbouring criminals. However, he was determined to move forward. At the same time, Lukyamuzi had been in spaces where businessman Hamis Kiggundu was present, and he remembers hearing him say, "Fear is the biggest thing that keeps us in poverty." 

This statement stayed with him deeply. Before officially setting up the bed spaces, Lukyamuzi conducted research to understand the legal aspects, as the business is still unfamiliar in the region. 

“I engaged the area chairperson and the police to avoid security risks. There were serious concerns that, without proper measures, the space could attract people involved in crime or drug abuse. These conversations made me reflect deeply, but I remembered Ham’s advice and stayed focused. I read the laws shared with me and worked with the area leadership to address any security issues that might arise,” he recalls.

Running a bedspace

Though the business has not yet gained significant momentum in the city, Lukyamuzi reveals that he receives customers on a daily basis in his only female six-decker room, with most of them reaching out via social media. He notes that he does not accept students, pregnant women, or women with children as the space is not suitable for them. “Many people in Uganda still do not fully understand what a bed space is, even though it is a common concept beyond the country’s borders,” he shares. 

He employs two people, one at the house to handle cleaning and another to register clients. He started with an only female bed space, charging Shs3,000 per night, a rate that has now increased to Shs5,000. Most of the bed space’s customers stay only a few hours, with some arriving from the airport and continuing their journeys, while others are job seekers or passport applicants looking for an affordable place to stay while they run their errands.

“Anyone accessing the bed spaces must present a national identity card and provide details of their next of kin. The chairperson, the police, and Nabakyala (local women’s leader) give their approval in case a customer does not have a national identity card,” he says.

More than shelter

Running a bed space business comes with its fair share of challenges. One major issue is that some individuals lack national identity cards, requiring them to first register with the local chairman before being allowed into the space. “There is also the ongoing struggle with limited finances, which makes it difficult to upgrade the facilities or officially register the business. Still, I remain hopeful for a future where this bed space evolves into something more than just shelter,” he shares.

Lukyamuzi envisions the space as a resource centre, where people can not only find a place to stay but also receive assistance in finding jobs or be connected to affordable rentals when they are ready.