Kira Town

Kira Kira Municipality
Kira Location in Uganda
Coordinates: 00°23′50″N 32°38′20″E / 0.39722°N 32.63889°E / 0.39722; 32.63889Coordinates: 00°23′50″N 32°38′20″E / 0.39722°N 32.63889°E / 0.39722; 32.63889
Country	Uganda
Region	Central Uganda
District	Wakiso District
Parliamentary Constituency	Kyaddondo East
Government
• Mayor	Mamerito Mugerwa[1]
• Member of Parliament	Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda[2]
Area
• Total	38.16 sq mi (98.83 km2)
Elevation	3,900 ft (1,190 m)
Population (2014 Census)
• Total	313,761[3]
• Density	4,712/sq mi (1,819.3/km2)

Kira Town, a municipality in the Wakiso District of the Central Region of Uganda, is the country's second-largest city by population. It is administered by the Kira Town Council, an urban local government within Wakiso District.^[4]

Location

Kira Town is bordered by Gayaza to the north, Mukono to the east, Lake Victoria to the south, Kampala to the west, and Kasangati to the northwest. The coordinates of the town are 00 24 00N, 32 38 24E (Latitude:0.40; Longitude:32.64).^[5] The town lies approximately 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) northeast of the central business district of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.^[6]

Administration

Kira Town is divided into six administrative parishes. These are:^[4]

The political head of the town is the mayor^[7] elected to a five-year term by universal adult suffrage across the six wards. The supreme policy-making organ is the Town Council, composed of 24 elected councillors.^[7]

Population

Kira Town is the largest town council (municipality) in Uganda by population.^[8] The town is the second-largest urban center in the country, after Kampala.^[3]

The population of Kira Town has grown at a relatively rapid rate compared to the national average over the last decade. Part of the rapid growth is attributable to the town's proximity to the city of Kampala.^[3] Kira serves as a bedroom community for Kampala.^[9][10][11]

2002 census

The national census in 2002 estimated Kira’s population to be 140,774 people, of whom 67,222 (47.8 percent) were males and 73,548 (52.2 percent) were females. The 2002 census gave the following figures for each of the six wards:

2010 to 2011

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated the town's mid-year 2010 population to be 172,300 and its mid-year 2011 population to be 179,800.^[12] The town planner, however, estimated the population to be 300,000 in 2010.^[13]

2014 census

In August 2014, the national population census put Kira Town's population at 313,761.^[3]

Economic activities

A large number of young adults are engaged in boda boda (motorcycle and bicycle) for-hire transportation.^[14] Increasingly, residents of Kira Town are employed in salaried and non-salaried positions in the city of Kampala and return to Kira in the evenings to sleep.^[10][11] The Kampala Industrial and Business Park, an 894 hectares (2,210 acres) business development park developed by the Uganda Investment Authority at a cost of about US$200 million, is located at Namanve in Bweyogerere Ward in extreme southeastern Kira Town.^[15]

Sites of interest

Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs at Namugongo

The Catholic Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs has been built at Namugongo in Kyaliwajjala Ward, where the majority of the 22 Catholic Uganda Martyrs (now Saints) were burned alive on the orders of Ssekabaka Mwanga II in the late 19th century.^[16] An Anglican shrine, administered by the Church of Uganda, is located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) east of the basilica, at the site where another group of martyrs were murdered for their beliefs.^[17]

Kabaka's Palace at Kireka

Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II and the Nnabagereka of Buganda, Sylvia Nagginda, maintain a palace on Kireka Hill, in Kireka Ward.^[18]

Mandela National Stadium

Mandela National Stadium is the largest stadium in Uganda, with a sitting capacity of 45,202 people.^[19] It is at Namboole, in Bweyogerere Ward.^[20]

Infrastructure

The Kampala Northern Bypass Highway

The Kampala Northern Bypass Highway, also referred to as the Northern Bypass, is the first dual-carriage interstate highway to be built in Uganda. It forms an incomplete circle around the northeast, north, and northwest of the city of Kampala. The northern and eastern portion of the highway traverses Bweyogerere and Kireka wards, in Kira Town.^[21]

Umeme Electricity Substation

In 2015, the electricity distribution company Umeme built a 40 megawatt substation in the Nsasa neighborhood of Kira Town, at a cost of US$7 million. This substation is expected to stabilise the electricity grid and reduce power losses in this fast-growing urban area.^[22]

Other public health issues

The Public Health Department of Kira Town is determined to improve the living conditions of its citizens, through detailed attention to sanitation, provision of safe drinking water, safe disposal of human and other waste, and the maintenance of hygiene in schools, markets, and other public places. Plans are underway to formulate minimum acceptable hygiene standards for private and public buildings and open spaces.^[23][11]

Poverty eradication

Efforts are underway to assist citizens in starting income-producing activities, including growing mushrooms.^[24]

Education

A number of first class primary and secondary schools are in the town.^[25]

In January 2011, the Shimoni Core Primary Teachers' College opened at Kitikifumba village in Kira Town. The college, formerly located on Nakasero Hill in Kampala, was established by the British government in 1952. In 2006, the former location was sold to an investor to construct the Kampala Intercontinental Hotel. The new location occupies 25 acres (10 ha). The facilities can accommodate approximately 450 students. The new college cost approximately US$4 million (UGX:8 billion) to build.^[26]

In 2011, St. Augustine International University (SAIU), a private, multi-campus university, received a provisional license from the Uganda National Council for Higher Education.^[27] SAIU is one of a number of private universities accredited between 2010 and 2014. It maintains a campus at Namugongo, where it hosts its College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine.^[28]

Notable people

• Arthur Sserwanga^[29] - Professor, accountant, entrepreneur, and academic administrator, is a native son. Vice chancellor of Muteesa I Royal University.
• Hakim Sendagire - Professor, physician, microbiologist, biochemist, and academic administrator. Dean of Habib Medical School.^[30]

Photos

• Photo of Mandela National Stadium
• Photo of Kampala Northern Bypass Highway

See also

• Bweyogerere
• Kabaka of Buganda
• Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II
• Sylvia Nagginda
• Wakiso District

References

External links

• Kira Coordinates At Google Map
• About The Kampala Northern Bypass Highway
• Ssemujju setting the pace in contest for new Kira municipality

Wakiso District Capital: Wakiso Counties and sub-counties Kyaddondo County Busiro County Parishes Busukuma Entebbe Gombe Kakiri Katabi Kasanje Kira Makindye Masulita Nabweru Namayumba Nangabo Nansana Nsangi Ssisa Wakiso Towns and villages Abayita Ababiri Banda Buddo Bulindo Buloba Entebbe Kira Bweyogerere Kireka Kirinnya Namugongo Kasangati Katalemwa Kigulu Kyaliwajjala Gayaza Gombe Nakweero Matugga Wakiso Kakiri Nansana Kajjansi Sentema Lubowa Lweeza Namulonge Naalya Najjera Namanve Nsangi Nsasa Kyengera Nabbingo Kawanda Kisubi Kitikifumba Kijabijo Kimwanyi Kitukutwe Masulita Wampeewo Magere Economy Akright Projects Limited Bank of Africa Barclays Bank Centenary Bank Crane Bank Ecobank Equity Bank Fina Bank Orient Bank PostBank Uganda Uganda Finance Trust Limited Stanbic Bank Kingstone Enterprises Limited Kampala Industrial and Business Park Chrysanthemums Uganda Limited Roofings Limited Ugachick Limited Uganda Clays Limited Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel Imperial Resort Beach Hotel Imperial Golf View Hotel Lake Victoria Serena Resort Notable landmarks Old Entebbe Town Entebbe Botanical Gardens State House Entebbe Lake Victoria Lubigi Wetland Kasubi Tombs Mandela National Stadium Kireka Kabaka's Palace Bulago Resort Island Ngamba Island Basilica of the Uganda Martyrs Transport Uganda Civil Aviation Authority Entebbe International Airport Kajjansi Airport Namulonge Airport Entebbe–Kampala Expressway Entebbe–Kampala Road Kampala Northern Bypass Highway Kampala Southern Bypass Highway Kampala–Jinja Highway Kampala–Jinja Expressway Gayaza–Ziroobwe Road Matugga–Kapeeka Road Namugongo Ring Road Kampala–Gayaza Road Kampala Northern Ring Road Kampala–Bombo Expressway Kampala–Busunju Expressway Kampala–Mityana Road Kampala–Mpigi Expressway Kampala–Masaka Road Kampala–Hoima Road Energy Namugoga Solar Power Station Hoima–Kampala Petroleum Products Pipeline Kenya–Uganda–Rwanda Petroleum Products Pipeline UETCL Kawanda Substation Education Uganda Martyrs High School Namugongo Gayaza High School King's College Budo St. Mary's College Kisubi Trinity College Nabbingo African Bible College (Uganda) Nkumba University Health Entebbe A Hospital Entebbe B Hospital Kisubi Hospital Mpererwe Hospital Kasangati Health Centre III Notable people Arthur Sserwanga Gilbert Bukenya Nelson Sewankambo Louis Kasekende Julia Sebutinde Israel Kibirige Ssebunya Samson Kisekka