Port Bell
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Port Bell is a small industrial centre near Kampala in Uganda which has a harbour and is used for international traffic across Lake Victoria.
The port is named after Sir Hesketh Bell, a British commissioner, who took over administration of Britain's interests in Uganda in 1906. The nearest town is Luzira, 1 mile away.
Lake Victoria ferries operate from the port linking Kampala, 7 miles / 10 km away by railway, to other posts on Lake Victoria including Jinja, Kisumu and Mwanza.
When the first stage of the Uganda Railway was completed in 1901, the railhead was at Kisumu, 12 hours journey from Port Bell by ship. Ferries brought goods by lake between Port Bell and Kisumu. It was not until 1931 that a branch line of the railway from Nakuru reached Kampala.
At present, Uganda Breweries has its main brewery at Port Bell. In the 1960s one of the first instant tea factories was located at Port Bell as was a factory distilling waragi, a strong, indigenous, alcoholic drink.
Before the jet airline era, Port Bell was a landing point on the British flying boat passenger and mail route from Southampton to Durban. Port Bell linked Khartoum and Kisumu.
