Ndejje is a haven for low prices

Most of the plots on sale in Ndejje Entebbe Road on Kabaka’s land. Photo by Tony Mushoborozi

What you need to know:

  • Prices for finished houses in Ndejje range between Shs20m and Shs150m. To some, a Shs20m house might sound like a joke, but such properties are very marketable.
  • A young worker who’s looking for very affordable rent should check out this place.

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 7 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 mud 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 investing in property close to the city. At seven kilometres away from the city, your rentals will only gain value indefinitely.
A young worker who’s looking for very affordable rent should check out this place. Its relative obscurity keeps both commercial and residential rent down. The fact that Ndejje is on Entebbe Road, the road most people always shun for fear of traffic jam compound the situation in favor of the person looking for very affordable rental homes.

Rental prices
The rental prices are very attractive 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 shs250,000 to Shs300,000. 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 Shs400,000 and Shs500,000. Commercial spaces in Ndejje, which are basically the classic Dduka arrangement (front room and back room) go for Shs300,000 on the main road. The prices go much lower of the main road.

St Andrews Catholic Church, Ndejje on Entebbe Road is one of the new developments in this area.

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 along 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 the prices go even higher.
A standard plot in these two villages ranges between Shs80m and Shs110m. For a township so close to the city, these prices are to die for and they won’t remain that friendly for long.
Plots in higher altitudes of Mutungo hill (still in Nandejje, not the more known place in Division) are much more desirable. They range between Shs110m to Shs150m.

House prices
Prices for finished houses in Ndejje range between Shs20m and Shs150m. To some, a Shs20m house might sound like a joke, but such properties are very marketable.
Many people wishing to buy houses are in that range. Houses for such a price are usually really small and built on plots smaller than the standard 50x100ft. On the other hand, houses for Shs150m full-sized, built on standard plots, in wall fences.