07 Hills of Kampala

Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Rubaga Division. Surrounding Kampala is the rapidly growing Wakiso District, whose population more than doubled between 2002 and 2014 and now stands at over 2 million.

Kampala was named the 13th fastest growing city on the planet, with an annual population growth rate of 4.03 percent, by City Mayors. Kampala has been ranked the best city to live in East Africa ahead of Nairobi and Kigali by Mercer, a global development consulting agency based in New York City.

The area, composed of rolling hills with grassy wetlands in the valleys, was home to several species of antelope, particularly impala. When the British arrived, they called it “Hills of the Impala”. The language of the Baganda, Luganda, adopted many English words because of their interactions with the British. The Baganda translated “Hill of the Impala” as Akasozi ke’Empala – “Kasozi” meaning “hill”, “ke” meaning “of”, and “empala” the plural of “impala”. In Luganda, the words “ka’mpala” means “that is of the impala”, in reference to a hill, and the single word “Kampala” was adopted as the name for the city that grew out of the Kabaka’s hills.

Kampala was originally built on seven hills, but as its size has increased, it has expanded to more hills than seven. The original seven hills are: Below are the hills of Kampala City:

1. Makerere Hill

Makerere is a neighbourhood in the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. The name also applies to the hill on which this neighbourhood is perched; one of the original seven hills that constituted Kampala at the time of its founding, in the early 1900s. Makerere is located in Kawempe Division. It is bordered by Bwaise to the north, Mulago to the east, Wandegeya and Nakasero to the southeast, Old Kampala to the south, Naakulabye to the southwest. Kasubi and Kawaala lie to the west of Makerere.

Makerere Hill is occupied primarily by Makerere University. In the 1970s and 1980s, the university had nine Halls of Residence, six for men and three for women. During the 1990s and early 2000s, as the university intake and student population grew from about 5,000 to over 40,000, private hostels grew up all around the hill, outside the university compound, to accommodate the new student influx. The original halls of residence are:

For men: Livingstone Hall, Lumumba Hall, Mitchell Hall, Nkrumah Hall, Nsibirwa Hall and University Hall. For women: Africa Hall, Mary Stuart Hall and CCE – Hall Complex.

These landmarks are located on Makerere Hill or near its borders:

• The main campus of Makerere University, Uganda’s oldest university, founded in 1922.
• The campus of Makerere College School, a mixed, day & boarding secondary school (S1-S6), founded in 1945
• The Law Development Centre, a postgraduate institution of learning that offers instruction that is required for lawyers to practice law in Uganda, established in 1970
• Nana Hostel – An upscale residential hostel for affluent university students

2. Nakasero Hill

Nakasero is a hill located in central Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. Nakasero is important to Uganda’s economy and politics, as it is home to Kampala’s central business district and several government offices, including the Ugandan Parliament Buildings. Nakasero is bordered by Mulago to the north, Makerere to the northwest, Old Kampala to the west, Namirembe and Mengo to the southwest, Nsambya to the south, Kibuli to the southeast, and Kololo to the east.

The top of Nakasero Hill is the most luxurious address in the city and accommodates the most upscale hotels and restaurants in the country including the Kampala Speke Hotel, the Grand Imperial Hotel, the Kampala Intercontinental Hotel, the Imperial Royale Hotel, the Kampala Serena Hotel, the Kampala Sheraton Hotel, and The Pearl of Africa Hotel Kampala. The Kampala State House is also located here. The northern and eastern slopes of Nakasero Hill house the majority of the diplomatic missions to Uganda and the residences of most ambassadors accredited to Uganda.

3. Kasubi Hill

Kasubi is a hill in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. Kasubi is bordered by Kawaala to the north, Makerere to the east, Naakulabye to the southeast, Lusaze to the southwest, Lubya to the west, and Namungoona to the northwest. Kasubi Hill is a royal cultural site of the Kingdom of Buganda, one of the constitutional traditional monarchies in 21st century Uganda.

Before 1856, Kasubi Hill was known as Nabulagala. Sometime after that date, Mutesa I of Buganda, having met misfortune at Banda Hill, where he had built his first palace, relocated to Nabulagala. He renamed the hill Kasubi, after the ancestral village of his mother, located in then Kyagwe County, what today is known as Mukono District.

Today, Buganda traditionalists refer to the place interchangeably as Kasubi or Nabulagala or Kasubi – Nabulagala.  After his death in 1884, Kabaka Mutesa I was buried at Kasubi, the first Kabaka to be buried there. Since then, Kasubi has become the official royal burial site of the Buganda monarchy. The Kasubi Royal Tombs are recognized as a World Heritage Site and are of very high significance in the culture of the Baganda.

The most significant landmark on Kasubi Hill is the Kasubi Royal Tombs, the official burial place of the Kings of Buganda. As of June 2014, four consecutive Kings of Buganda are buried at Kasubi:

• Mutesa I of Buganda in 1884.
• Mwanga II of Buganda, died in exile in 1903, re-buried at Kasubi in 1910.
• Daudi Cwa II of Buganda in 1939.
• Mutesa II of Buganda, died in exile in 1969, re-buried at Kasubi in 1971.

4. Mengo Hill

Mengo is a hill in Lubaga Division, Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. The name also applies to the neighbourhood on that hill. Mengo is bordered by Old Kampala to the north, Nsambya Hill to the east, Kibuye to the south-east, Ndeeba to the south, Lubaga Hill to the west, and Namirembe Hill to the north-west. This location is approximately 2.5 kilometres, by road, directly south of the central business district of Kampala. Mengo Hill is the location of the main palace (known as Lubiri or Mengo Palace) of the Kabaka (King) of the Kingdom of Buganda, a monarchy that dates back almost 800 years. Mengo has been the main palace since it was first constructed in 1885 by Mwanga II of Buganda, the 31st Kabaka of Buganda.

Mengo Hill has played an important role in Ugandan political and religious history. “Mengo” is a Luganda word for grinding stones. According to legend, ancient migrant communities from the Ssese Islands who settled on the hill used these stones to grind their food. It is here that the Buganda Agreement of 1900 was signed between the Kabaka of Buganda and British colonial officials establishing the Uganda Protectorate.

The history of Mengo Hill is also entwined with that of adjacent Namirembe Hill, the seat of the Anglican Church of Uganda, because of the monarchy’s close association with the Church of England. The Bulange, which houses offices for the Kabaka and the Lukiiko (Buganda Parliament), is at the base of Namirembe Hill. The building was constructed between 1953 and 1958 by Mutesa II of Buganda. Also located on Namirembe Hill is Mengo Hospital, a private, non-profit community hospital administered by the Anglican Church in Uganda.

Landmarks on Mengo Hill or near the hill include:

• The main palace of the King of Buganda, the Lubiri.
• Bulange, the Parliament Building of the Buganda Parliament (the Lukiiko). Moved outside of the palace to the adjacent Namirembe Hill, to accommodate the size of a modern building in 1958. The building also houses the offices of the Kabaka of Buganda
• The Kabaka’s Lake, a man-made lake approximately 5 acres (2.0 ha), for the personal use and enjoyment of the Kabaka; located just outside the main palace entrance.
• Mengo Hospital – A 300-bed private hospital, affiliated with the Church of Uganda; located at adjacent Namirembe Hill
• The Joint Clinical Research Centre – Located adjacent to the palace, the medical research centre is housed in the Butikkiro, the former official residence of the Prime Minister of Buganda (Katikkiro). This building is one of Buganda’s assets that have yet to be returned to the Kingdom.
• The main campus of St. Lawrence University (Uganda) – Located close to the Kabaka’s Lake.
• The Buildings of the Uganda Supreme Court
• Namirembe Hill – Adjacent to and immediately northwest of Mengo Hill. It is the location of St. Paul’s Cathedral, the most prominent Anglican place of worship in Buganda
• Lubaga Hill – Immediately west of Mengo. The seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala. Location of St. Mary’s Cathedral Rubaga, built between 1912 and 1925.

5. Lubaga Hill

Lubaga is a hill in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. It comes from the Luganda word okubaga, a process of “planning” or “making a structure stronger” while constructing it. For example; okubaga ekisenge means to strengthen the internal structure of a wall while building a house. The name also applies to the neighbourhood on the hill. Lubaga is bordered by Mengo to the east, Namirembe to the northeast, Kasubi to the north, Lubya to the northwest, Lungujja and Busega to the west, Nateete to the southwest Mutundwe to the south and Ndeeba to the southeast.

The hill served as location of one of the palaces of the King of Buganda from the 18th century. Kabaka Ndawula Nsobya, the 19th Kabaka of Buganda, who ruled from 1724 until 1734, maintained his capital on Lubaga Hill. The palace on Lubaga Hill was used to plan military expeditions by Buganda’s generals. However, during the late 19th century, during the reign of Mutesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira, who reigned from 1856 until 1884, the palace caught fire and was abandoned. When the Catholic White Fathers came calling in 1879, they were allocated land nearby. Eventually they were given land on Lubaga Hill itself where they built a cathedral, beginning in 1914 which was completed in 1925.

Lubaga hill was the location of the main palace of Kabaka Mutesa I who ruled Buganda between 1856 and 1884. The palace was struck by lightning and burnt to the ground. The replacement palace was rebuilt on neighbouring Mengo Hill. The first Roman Catholic missionaries to arrive in Buganda were Frenchmen, Father Pierre Lourdel Monpel and Brother Amans, who settled near the hill in 1879. As the Catholic Church took root in the country, the missionaries were allocated land on Lubaga Hill. The construction of St. Mary’s Cathedral on Lubaga Hill took place between 1914 and 1925, with the assistance of monetary contributions from Roman Catholic congregations abroad. Later, the missionaries also built a hospital and a nursing school on the hill.

Today, Lubaga remains the seat of the headquarters of the Catholic Church in Uganda. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kampala. The remains of the first African Catholic bishop in Uganda, Bishop Joseph Nakabaale Kiwanuka and those of the first African Catholic Cardinal, Cardinal Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga are kept in the Catholic Mission on the hill.

6. Namirembe Hill

Namirembe is a hill in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. It is also a common name given to girls in several Baganda clans. Namirembe comes from the Luganda word “Mirembe” meaning “peace”. Legend has it that this hill was a gathering place for celebrating peace or war victories. Namirembe is bordered by Makerere to the north-east, Old Kampala to the east, Mengo to the south-east, Lubaga to the south-west, Lungujja to the west, the Kasubi Tombs to the north-west, and Naakulabye to the north.

St Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe: Namirembe Hill has been the location of the main Anglican place of worship in Buganda since Bishop Alfred Tucker established the offices of the Diocese of Eastern Equatorial Africa in 1890. Namirembe is the location of St. Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe. This was the main place of worship of the Anglican Church in Uganda from completion of its construction in 1919 until the 1960s when the cathedral became the seat of the Diocese of Namirembe. At that time, the headquarters of the Church of Uganda moved to All Saints Church in Nakasero but later on moved back to Namirembe. The Anglican Faith is the religion most closely associated with the Buganda Monarchy since the end of the religious wars of the 1890s.

The hill rises 1,260 metres above sea level. It is adjacent to Mengo Hill, the seat of the Buganda government. The history of the two hills is intertwined, geographically, politically, and religiously. The 300-bed Mengo Hospital is a community hospital affiliated with the Church of Uganda. It is also known as Namirembe Hospital. It was the first hospital in Uganda and was started by Albert Ruskin Cook in May 1897. At the north-western base of Namirembe Hill are the Buganda royal burial grounds known as the Kasubi Tombs. It is here that the last four kings of Buganda have been buried.

The Bulange Complex includes Buganda’s parliament building, known as the “Lukiiko”, The complex is on Namirembe Hill, just across from Mengo Hill. The Mengo Palace on Mengo Hill is connected to the Bulange Complex by a straight road, about a mile long, called the “Kabaka Anjagala Road” (“The King Loves Me” in English). About halfway, the straight road is intersected by Lubaga Road. There is a roundabout for the use of ordinary travellers. However, there is a strait-way through the roundabout with a gate. That is for the exclusive use of the Kabaka when moving between the palace and the parliament building. Tradition forbids the king from going round the roundabout. He must travel straight when moving between the two locations

7. Kibuli Hill

Kibuli is a hill in the centre of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The name also applies to the commercial and residential neighbourhoods on that hill. Kibuli Hill is bordered by Kololo to the north, Nakawa and Mbuya to the northeast, Namuwongo to the east, Muyenga to the southeast, Kabalagala to the south, Nsambya to the southwest, and the Queen’s Clock Tower to the east and Nakasero to the northeast.

Kibuli Hill rises to a peak of 3,973 feet above sea level. Prince Badru Kakungulu, a member of the Buganda Royal Family owned most of the hill, before he donated it to the Ugandan Moselem community. That land today houses the Kibuli Mosque, Kibuli Secondary School, Kibuli Hospital and Kibuli Teacher Training College. The hill also accommodates a police training school and a teacher training college. At the base of the hill, on the eastern side of Kibuli, is the neighbourhood called Namuwongo, the location of the old Industrial Area of the city and the oil depots of three major oil companies; Shell, Total, and Caltex.

8. Nsambya Hill

Nsambya is a hill in the centre of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The name also refers to the upscale and middle class neighbourhoods that have been developed on the hill and its slopes. Nsambya is located approximately 5 kilometres south-southeast of the central business district of Kampala, along the road to Ggaba, a suburb of the city.

The landmarks on Nsambya Hill include:

• Nsambya Hospital
• Nsambya Home Care
• The American Embassy to Uganda
• St. Peter’s Primary School – Co-educational elementary school
• St. Peter’s Secondary School – Mixed secondary school
• Nsambya Secondary School – Mixed day & boarding secondary school
• St. Joseph’s Primary School – Elementary school for girls
• St. Joseph’s Secondary School, Nsambya (JOGINSA)
• Nsambya Police Barracks
• Saint Peter’s Cathedral Nsambya – A place of worship affiliated with the Catholic Church
• Mother Kevin Postgraduate Medical School of Uganda Martyrs University, located at Nsambya Hospital.
• Cavendish University Uganda – Located along Ggaba Road, opposite the American Embassy.

9. Kampala Hill (Old Kampala)

Kampala Hill, commonly referred to as Old Kampala, is a hill in the centre of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. Kampala Hill is bordered by Makerere to the north, Nakasero to the east, Mengo to the south and Namirembe to the west. When calculating distances between Kampala and other places, Kampala Hill is often taken as the starting point.

Kampala hill was the nucleus of the city of Kampala. When the city expanded to other neighbouring hills, the place began to be referred to as Old Kampala, a name that is still in use today, 120 years later. As of June 2014, the hill is a mixed commercial and residential neighbourhood with high-rise apartment complexes, shops, restaurants, bars, cafes, bed-and-breakfast establishments and several motels. The neighbourhood is a beehive of activity, both during the week and on weekends.

Before the arrival of the British, Kampala Hill, along with the neighbouring environs, was a favourite hunting ground of the King of Buganda. The area was particularly rich with game, especially Impala, a type of African antelope. The word Impala, most probably comes from the Zulu language. The British referred to the hill as the Hill of the Impala. The Luganda translation comes to Akasozi Ke’Empala. Through repeated usage, the name of the place eventually became Kampala. The name then came to apply to the entire city.

Frederick Lugard, a British mercenary in the pay of Imperial British East Africa Company arrived in Uganda in the 1890s, built his fort on top of the hill. The original fort was relocated to a different site on the hill in 2003, to accommodate the largest mosque in Uganda, with a seating capacity of 15,000 people, built with monetary assistance from Libya. The completed mosque was opened officially in June 2007.

The following points of interest are located on or near Kampala Hill:

• The site where St. Matiya Mulumba was murdered on 30 May 1886 – One of the Uganda Martyrs
• The Uganda Moslem Supreme Council Mosque, which is also known as the Gaddafi Mosque – The largest mosque in Uganda; seating capacity 15,000.
• Fort Lugard – Built in the 1890s, by Lord Lugard, the first military administrator of the British East Africa Company
• Old Kampala Hospital – A private hospital
• Old Kampala Senior Secondary School – A non-residential public high school
• A branch of Diamond Trust Bank (Uganda) Limited
• A branch of Exim Bank (Uganda)
• Mukwano Shopping Arcade – A middle-class shopping mall
• The headquarters and main store of Quality Supermarkets, a locally owned supermarket chain
• Old Kampala Police Station
• The Headquarters of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council
• Nakivubo Stadium – Seating capacity 25,000, located in the valley between Old Kampala, Nakasero Hill and Mengo Hill.

10. Mulago Hill

Mulago is a hill in north-central Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The hill rises 4,134 feet above sea level. The name also applies to the neighbourhoods that sit on this hill. Mulago is in Kawempe Division, one of the five administrative divisions of Kampala. It is approximately 4 kilometres, by road, north of the city’s central business district.

Mulago was derived from the Ganda word ‘omulago’, a type of medicine, kept on this hill that was used by King Suna II for protection against spirits. The landmark on this hill is Mulago Hospital. Built in 1917, Old Mulago Hospital merged with the New Mulago Hospital in 1960 to form a giant complex that is the national referral hospital. The complex also houses Makerere University Medical School.

At the lower end of the hill about 2 kilometres from the hospital complex, are the Uganda Museum and headquarters of the Uganda Wildlife Authority at Kamwookya. The British High Commission office and the High Commission office of Rwanda are both located in neighbouring Kamwookya. The hill is, however, dominated by hospital related activities that include: A doctors’ village, a nurses’ Hostel, Infectious Diseases Institute, Mulago National Referral Hospital, Makerere University College of Health Science, Makerere University School of Medicine, Makerere University School of Public Health, Makerere University School of Biomedical Sciences, Makerere University School of Health Sciences, Mulago Women’s Referral Hospital, Upper Mulago Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda Cancer Institute, Uganda Heart Institute, Kampala City Mortuary, Research Laboratories, Pharmacies

11. Makindye Hill

Makindye is a hill in Kampala, Uganda’s largest city and capital. The name also refers to the neighbourhood that sits on that hill. Makindye is also the seat of Makindye Division, one of the five administrative zones of the city of Kampala. Makindye is bordered by Nsambya to the north, Kibuye to the northwest, Najjanankumbi to the west, Lubowa in Wakiso District to the south, Luwafu to the southeast, and Lukuli to the east. Kansanga and Kabalagala lie to Makindye’s northeast.

Makindye, at its peak, stands 1,230 metres above sea level. It affords a view of the surrounding areas of the city and of neighbouring parts of Wakiso District. It also affords a view of Murchison Bay, a part of Lake Victoria to the east and southeast of Makindye. The residential areas on Makindye hill are of middle class proportions. Many of the homes have adjacent plots of land that are often used to grow vegetables.

The following points of interest lie on or near Makindye Hill:

• Headquarters of Makindye Division
• Makindye military police barracks
• Makindye Foursquare Gospel Church – A place of worship affiliated with the Pentecostal Movement
• Kiruddu General Hospital – A public hospital administered by the Uganda Ministry of Health – In development.

12. Muyenga Hill

Muyenga is a hill in Kampala, the capital of Uganda and the largest city in that country. The name also applies to the upscale community that sits on that hill. Muyenga is located in Makindye Division, one of the five administrative divisions of Kampala. It sits about 8 kilometres by road, southeast of the central business district of the city. It is bordered by Bukasa to the east, Kiwuliriza to the north, Kisugu and Kabalagala to the west, Kansanga to the southwest, Kiwafu to the south and Kyeyitabya to the southeast.

Muyenga, at its peak, stands 4,285 feet above sea level and is one of the highest points in the city of Kampala. For that reason, the hill was chosen to house the water storage tanks for National Water and Sewerage Corporation, which supply Kampala, Kira and Mukono. Because of the water tanks, Muyenga is also known as Tank Hill. The hill commands expansive views of the city towards the north and the west. To the east and the south the predominant view is that of nearby Lake Victoria.

Prior to Uganda’s Independence in 1962 and through the 1960s and 1970s, Muyenga was an upscale residential area, on account of the excellent views and cool breezes. After the removal of the Obote II regime in 1986, there followed a period of rapid, unplanned and uncoordinated development of the real estate on Muyenga. As a result, it is an area with good houses but with a chaotic road and drainage system. Many of the property owners on the hill are from government and business that bought plots and put up expensive buildings without conforming to the rules of urban planning. Kabalagala, a neighbourhood to the west of Muyenga, suffered from the same mismanagement of urban planning.

The following points of interest lie on Muyenga Hill or near it:

• Water storage tanks of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation
• Hotel International 2000 – from this hotel, you have an excellent view of Lake Victoria
• Kampala International University (KIU) – one of the 30 universities in Uganda
• Acacia International School Uganda
• Diplomat Hotel
• Kabalagala – Location of numerous restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

13. Naguru Hill

Naguru is a hill in Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda. The name also applies to the commercial and residential neighbourhoods that sit on that hill. Naguru is located in Nakawa Division, in the north-eastern part of the city. It is bordered by Ntinda to the east, Nakawa to the southeast, Namuwongo to the south, Kololo to the southwest, Kamwookya to the west, Bukoto to the northwest and Kigoowa to the north.

Naguru Hill rises 1,300 metres above sea level. It is the highest of all the hills in Kampala. The view from this hill is incredible; one can see the tops of most of the other hills: Kololo, Muyenga, Mbuya and Mutungo. The top of the hill houses radio and telecommunication masts for the many communication companies in the city. The upper reaches of the hill are also the location of upscale residential mansions with manicured lawns. The well-landscaped hill also boasts of good guesthouses and recreation centres. These include: (a) Lugogo Rugby Club (b) Lugogo Tennis Club and (c) Lugogo Cricket Club. At the base of the hill is the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) show ground, where the annual trade fairs are staged. On the south-eastern slopes of the hill, the headquarters of Uganda National Police are located. There is a reservoir water tank belonging to National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), at the summit.

The following points of interest lie on Naguru Hill or near its edges:

• The headquarters of the Uganda National Police
• The headquarters of the Uganda Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs – In development.[4]
• Naguru Sanyu Babies Home – A private orphanage administered by Sanyu Babies Homes, an NGO.
• Naguru Housing Estate – A public housing project, destined for demolition and modernization
• Naguru General Hospital – A 200-bed public hospital built with assistance of the Chinese Government and administered by the Uganda Ministry of Health.
• Panamera Bar & Restaurant
• Protea Hotel Naguru Sky
• Protea Hotel Pinnacle

14. Banda Hill

Banda is a hill that lies in Nakawa Division, within Kampala, the capital of Uganda, the third-largest economy in the East African Community. Banda also refers to the neighbourhoods on the slopes of the hill and between Banda Hill and Kireka, extending all the way to the Kampala-Jinja Highway. The south-western slopes of the hill are occupied by the neighbourhood known as Kyambogo, and are the location of the campus of Kyambogo University, one of the nine public universities in the country. Banda is bordered by Kiwaatule to the north, Kireka to the east, Kinnawattaka to the southeast, Mbuya to the south, Nakawa to the southwest, Ntinda to the west and northwest.

The full name of Banda is Bandabalogo. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Kabaka Mutesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira, the 30th Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, who reigned from 1856 until 1884, maintained a palace on the hill. It was at this palace that British explorer John Hanning Speke met Kabaka Walugembe Mutesa I in 1862. Mutesa detained Speke for some months before finally releasing him in his quest to look for the source of the Nile River. At Banda, Mutesa faced many misfortunes, which he attributed to ill luck or witch-craft, thus the name Bandabalogo (“Wizards of Banda”). He left Banda and built another palace at Nabulagala which he later called Kasubi, named after his mother’s village in Kyaggwe County, which is now known as Mukono District. Today, the great, great grandson of Mutesa I, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the reigning Buganda monarch, maintains a palace on the hill with the entrance facing west, as is the tradition.

Starting in 1958, the government of Uganda began establishing educational institutions on the southern and south-western slopes of the hill, in the neighbourhood known as Kyambogo. The institutions were merged in 2001 to form Kyambogo University, the third public university established in the country.

At the top of the hill is a military detach. Banda is also the location of Nabisunsa Girls’ School, a public residential all-girl high school, located north and east of the university. Kyambogo College School, a mixed, public non-residential secondary school is also located on the hill. On the higher reaches of the hill are located upscale residential homes. On the lower reaches of the hill, there are shops, small-scale industries, a stone quarry, warehouses and low-income rental residencies. The Somali entrepreneur Amina Moghe Hersi owns King stone Enterprises Limited, a cement distributorship, whose headquarters are located in Banda.

15. Kololo Hill

Kololo is a hill in Kampala, the largest city and capital of Uganda. Kololo is close to the centre of Kampala, bordered by Naguru to the east, Bukoto to the north, Mulago to the north-west, Makerere to the west, Nakasero to the south-west, and Kibuli to the south. Kololo is in the Kampala Central Division.

Kololo gets its name from the 19th century Acholi Chief Awich. From Northern Uganda, he, along with Kabalega of Bunyoro resisted British rule. He was arrested and brought to Kampala and incarcerated on top of Kololo Hill. Awich is alleged to have cried out in Luo, “An atye kany Kololo”, which means “I am here alone.” Awich was lamenting over the fact that he had been left alone in the wilderness, miles away from home. His captors and the Baganda started calling the place the hill of Kololo, resulting in its name today.

Since the 1950s, before Uganda’s Independence, Kololo has been an upscale residential area because of its central location in the city and to the views from the hill. Kololo is a popular location for diplomatic missions to Uganda, housing more than a dozen embassies and ambassadors’ residences. During the 2000s, hotels, banks, hospitals, and other corporate entities began to infiltrate the hill, mainly to serve those who reside there, away from the noise and traffic congestion in the central business district located on the neighbouring Nakasero hill. At the summit of the hill, there are radio, television and telecommunication masts.

The following points of interest are found on Kololo hill: Acacia mall, 7 hills international school, Arya Sumaj School, Casino Simba, Centenary Park, and Dr. Stockley’s Hospital, East Kololo Primary School, Embassy of Algeria, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Embassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Embassy of Egypt, Embassy of Germany, Embassy of Sweden, Embassy of Norway, Embassy of Libya, Embassy of North Korea, Embassy of Russia, Embassy of Rwanda, Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Embassy of South Africa, High Commission of the Republic of Kenya, Independence Park, Jinja Road Police Station, Kampala Christian Cemetery, Kampala Golf Course, Kampala Hospital, Kololo Airstrip, Kitante Hill Secondary School, Kololo High School, Kololo Senior Secondary School, Kololo Hospital, Lincoln International School, Speke Apartments, Uganda Management Institute, Uganda National Museum, Java House, French School, MTN Sports Arena Lugogo, Torino Bar and Restaurant

16. Mutundwe Hill

Mutundwe is a neighbourhood in the town of Ssabagabo in Uganda. The name also refers to Mutundwe Hill, where the neighbourhood is located. Mutundwe is located in the north-western edge of Ssabagabo municipality in Wakiso District, in Uganda’s Central Region. It is bordered by Lungujja to the north, Lubaga to the northeast, Ndeeba and Kabowa to the east, Wankulukuku to the east, Kitebi to the southeast, Kabojja to the west, and Nateete to the northwest.

During the first decade of the 21st century, educational institutions such as the Mutundwe Campus of Kampala University have been added to the neighbourhood. The Mutundwe Power Station, a 50 megawatt thermal power plant, was dismantled in 2011, but the Mutundwe electricity sub-station, where the power plant was located, still exists. This sub-station is a major transit point for power evacuated from the hydro power stations along the Nile River before it is transmitted to Entebbe, Masaka, and the Western Region. Parts of Mutundwe Hill lie in Lubaga Division, within the city of Kampala, Uganda’s capital. Other parts lie in the newly created town of Ssabagabo in Wakiso District. Still other parts of the hill lie within unincorporated Wakiso District.

17. Buziga Hill

Buziga, at 4,322 feet above sea level, is the second highest of Kampala’s hills. It is located off Ggaba road as you head to Ggaba landing site on Lake Victoria. Buziga is a middle class residential area which lies on the second highest hill in Kampala, approximately 7 km south of the city centre. There are some wonderful views of Lake Victoria and the surrounding area from the hill. It is a mix of older bungalows and newer up-scale housing developments. Buziga is a good location for people who work in Muyenga also known as Tank Hill, Kansanga and Nsambya, where many NGOs (and the United States Embassy) have their offices.

Quiet and almost furthest from the city centre, Buziga hill is rapidly replacing Muyenga as the home of the nouveau riche. A little better organized than Muyenga hill, beautiful mansions with a spectacular view of Lake Victoria straddle this quiet city suburb. Buziga Theological College, a Muslim training centre is located here. Also on the hill is the Centre Broadcasting Services (CBS) radio mast.

18. Mutungo Hill

Mutungo hill, southeast of Kampala stands at 4,208 feet above sea level. It is a fast developing residential area, with posh houses coming up. The top of this hill provides a panoramic view of Mandera Sports Stadium, Namboole, to the northeast and Lake Victoria just under 5km to the south. The main shopping area is Kitintale. Bugolobi and Luzira (where the country’s high security prison is located) are the other shopping centres in the proximity of Mutungo hill.

19. Mbuya Hill

Mbuya is a hill in south-eastern Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The hill rises 1,300 metres above sea level. The name also applies to the upscale residential neighbourhood that sits on that hill, as well as the government military installations located there. Mbuya is located in Nakawa Division, one of the five administrative divisions of Kampala. It is bordered by Kyambogo to the north, Kinnawattaka and Kireka to the northeast, Butabika and Biina to the east, Mutungo to the southeast, Port Bell, Kitintale and Bugoloobi to the south, Namuwongo to the southwest, Nakawa to the west and Ntinda to the northwest.

Before Europeans came to Uganda, Mbuya was the seat of Kaggo, a Luganda word meaning whip. Kaggo is the title of the County Chief of Kyaddondo, then one of the 20 counties of Buganda. Today Kyaddondo surrounds Kampala to the north and east and includes most of present-day Kampala. The county headquarters were eventually moved to Kasangati and Mbuya was converted into an upscale residential and commercial area.

The following points of interest are located in Mbuya:

• The headquarters of the Uganda Ministry of Defence
• Mbuya Military Referral Hospital – one of two military hospitals in Uganda; the other is located in Bombo
• The Embassy of the Vatican
• The residence of the Papal Nuncio
• The Consulate of the Republic of Ghana
• The residence of the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago
• Our Lady of Africa Catholic cathedral
• Reach Out Mbuya HIV/AIDS Initiative