Ndejje: From dust to thriving centre

Allan Beinomugisha recalls that when his family lived in Ndejje, te area was so remote that his mother (RIP) even used to do some farming there. They constructed some rental houses but they were charging very little money because the area was very remote and also the people who occupied the houses didn’t have constant income because they were low income earners who could  only afford such houses. He later decided to transform them into a school he named Jane’s Little Tots after his mother Jane.
 
But with the school closures due to Covid-19 period, Allan says Ndejje has developed and he plans to construct rental shops to take advantage of the current development. “I have to transform now because the schools are not working and the non commercial tenants also disturb. However, if I put shops up for rent it will be a good venture for me,” says Allan. 
He adds that many people have since settled in the area and business is booming. He says shops for rent range from Shs350,000shs to Shs500,000 which he says is far better than before when the area was majorly residential. 

The Ndejje we are talking about here is located on Entebbe Road. It is completely different from the Ndejje in Bombo, made famous by the University of the same name. If you have never heard of this Ndejje, you are not alone. 
While it is only seven kilometres out of Kampala City, it is off grid, hidden away from the world by a long history of poor roads.

The main connection to Ndejje is an obscure eastward junction in Namasuba Valley on Entebbe Road.
Up until four years ago, this little turn would usher you into an impassable muddy road that was constantly susceptible to flooding and silting. With such an unflattering gateway, Ndejje was shunned by people looking to rent or buy property.
Ndejje itself is on high ground and doesn’t flood or silt, but the road to the place was historically bad around Namasuba. That is until that mud road was transformed into a tarmac road, complete with paved walkways for pedestrians.
Today, Ndejje is a place to consider for anyone interested in property investment near the city. At seven kilometres away from the city, your rentals will only gain value indefinitely.

Rental prices
The rental prices have gone up for tenants in Ndejje. A single self-contained residential home (room) in the area ranges between Shs150,000 to Shs200,000 depending on location and quality of property. Before the road was paved, the prices ranged between Shs100,000 to Shs120,000.
For those on an even tighter budget, a single room that is not self contained is as affordable as Shs100,000.
The price for a self-contained double room unit (a living area and a bedroom) ranges between shs350,000 to Shs400,000. These used to be as low as Shs150,000 before the road was paved. Such is the effect dusty roads, or the lack thereof, have on rental prices.

Two bedroom houses range between Shs500,000 and Shs600,000. Commercial spaces in Ndejje, which are basically the classic Dduka arrangement (front room and back room) go for Shs500, 000 on the main road. The prices might go much lower off the main road.
 
Land prices
Salongo Prosper Ssebutinde, a property trader in Ndejje, says while there are plots with freehold titles in Ndejje, most of the plots on sale are on Kabaka’s land. That means that plots in Ndejje are relatively cheaper, which is always the case with Kabaka’s land.
A standard plot fit for residence (not on the main road) goes for shs45m in Kanaaba, one of the villages in Ndejje. All plots in Kanaaba are on Kabaka’s land. They don’t come with a freehold title, but rather a Buganda title.
A plot of the same specifications in Kanyanya, another village in Ndejje goes for Shs70m, Shs60m in Lubugumu, and Shs60m in Lugga. Again, all the above plots don’t come with a freehold title.

The two villages in Ndejje that have plots with freehold titles are Ziranumbu and Barimumpeera. These are slightly more organised and sparsely populated than the rest of the villages, making them pricier.
A standard plot in these two villages ranges from Shs80m and Shs110m. For a township so close to the city, these prices are to die for but they keep increasing everyday.
Plots in higher altitudes of Mutungo hill (still in Nandejje, the lesser known place in Nakawa Division) are much more desirable. They range between Shs110m to Shs150m.
House prices
Prices for finished houses in Ndejje range between Shs70m and Shs150m. 
Houses for such a price are usually really small and built on plots smaller than the standard 50x100ft. On the other hand, houses here go for Shs150m; full-sized, built on standard plots, in wall fences.

Security and crime
Residents say the Police station has helped to curb crime in the area.

Moses Kirunda , a resident and a boda boda rider, says Ndejje is now relatively safe. “I would be able  now to ferry customers to far areas of Kibutika and Lubugumu up to around midnight if it were not for curfew, which was not the case before,” says Kirunda

According to a police officer, who preferred anonymity, the crime rate has gone down despite the increasing population in the area.

He, however, adds that the recent construction of the Ndejje road has given criminals easy  access to the area but they are trying their best to control crime.