Banda, Uganda
Encyclopedia
Banda is a hill that partly lies within the city of Kampala
, Uganda
's capital and partly in neighboring Kira Municipality
, Wakiso District
, central Uganda. Banda also refers to the neighborhoods on the slopes of the hill and between Banda Hill and Kireka
, extending all the way to the Kampala-Jinja Highway
.
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 location of the hill is approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), by road, east of Kampala
's central business district
. The coordinates of Banda Hill are:00 21 18N, 32 37 53E (Latitude:0.3550; Longitude:32.6314).
, Kabaka Muteesa 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 Muteesa I, in 1862. Muteesa detained Speke for some months before finally releasing him in his quest to look for the source of the Nile River. At Banda, Muteesa 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 (present-day Mukono District
. Today, the great, great grandson of Muteesa 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.
In 1958, Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK) which had been established on Makerere Hill
in 1928, was transferred to Banda Hill. Its role was to train Ugandan technicians and artisans. In 1948, the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) was established. Its first home was in Nyakasura, Kabarole District
. It was subsequently moved to Mbarara
and finally to Kyambogo as well. In 1988, the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE), originally a department at ITEK, was spun off as a separate institution. In 2001, the three institutions were merged to form Kyambogo University
, the third (3nd) of the five (5) public universities in Uganda.
entrepreneur Amina Moghe Hersi
owns Kingstone Enterprises Limited, a cement distributorship, whose headquarters are located in Banda.
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
's capital and partly in neighboring Kira Municipality
Kira Town
Kira Town is a municipality in Wakiso District in Central Uganda. It is administered by Kira Town Council, an Urban Local Government within Wakiso District Administration.-Location:...
, Wakiso District
Wakiso District
Wakiso District is a district in Central Uganda that encircles Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The district is named after the town of Wakiso, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
, central Uganda. Banda also refers to the neighborhoods on the slopes of the hill and between Banda Hill and Kireka
Kireka
Kireka is the name of a township in Central Uganda. It is one of the six townships or Wards that constitute Kira Municipality in Wakiso District...
, extending all the way to the Kampala-Jinja Highway
Kampala-Jinja Highway
Kampala-Jinja Highway is a road in Uganda, connecting the cities of Kampala and Jinja. Sometimes referred to as Kampala-Jinja Road, it is a busy road, with several towns, trading centers and other landmarks along the way.-Location:...
.
Location
Banda is bordered by KiwaatuleKiwaatule
-Location:Kiwaatule is bordered by Najjera to the north, Naalya to the east, Banda to the south, Ntinda to the southwest, Kigoowa to the west and Kulambiro to the northwest. This location is approximately , by road, northeast of Kampala's central business district...
to the north, Kireka
Kireka
Kireka is the name of a township in Central Uganda. It is one of the six townships or Wards that constitute Kira Municipality in Wakiso District...
to the east, Kinnawattaka to the southeast, Mbuya
Mbuya
Mbuya is a hill in south-eastern Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. The hill rises above sea level.-Location:Mbuya is bordered by Kyambogo to the north, Kinawataka and Kireka to the northeast, Butabika and Biina to the east, Mutungo to the southeast, Port Bell, Kitintale and Bugoloobi to the...
to the south, Nakawa
Nakawa
Nakawa is an area in the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital. It is also the location of the headquarters of Nakawa Division, one of the five administrative divisions of Kampala.-Location:Nakawa is located on the eastern edge of the city of Kampala...
to the southwest, Ntinda
Ntinda
-Location:Ntinda is bordered by Kyambogo to the east, Nakawa to the south, Naguru to the west, Bukoto to the northwest, Kigoowa to the north and Kiwaatule to the northeast. This location is approximately , by road, northeast of Kampala's central business district...
to the west and northwest. The location of the hill is approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), by road, east of Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
's central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. The coordinates of Banda Hill are:00 21 18N, 32 37 53E (Latitude:0.3550; Longitude:32.6314).
History
The full name of Banda is Bandabalogo. Prior to the arrival of the EuropeansEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Kabaka Muteesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira
Muteesa I of Buganda
Muteesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from 1856 until 1884. He was the thirtieth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, 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
John Hanning Speke
John Hanning Speke was an officer in the British Indian Army who made three exploratory expeditions to Africa and who is most associated with the search for the source of the Nile.-Life:...
met Kabaka Walugembe Muteesa I, in 1862. Muteesa detained Speke for some months before finally releasing him in his quest to look for the source of the Nile River. At Banda, Muteesa 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
Kasubi Tombs
The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, is the site of the burial grounds for four kabakas , and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.On 16 March 2010, some of the major buildings there were almost completely destroyed by a fire, the cause of which is under investigation...
, named after his mother’s village in Kyaggwe County (present-day Mukono District
Mukono District
Mukono District is a district in Central Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town' - Mukono.-Location:Mukono District is bordered by Kayunga District to the north, Buikwe District to the east, the Republic of Tanzania to the south, Kalangala District to the...
. Today, the great, great grandson of Muteesa I, Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II
Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda
Ronald Edward Frederick Muwenda Kimera Mutebi II is the reigning Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, a kingdom in modern-day Uganda. He is the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
, the reigning Buganda monarch, maintains a palace on the hill, with the entrance facing west, as is the tradition.
In 1958, Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo (UPK) which had been established on Makerere Hill
Makerere
Makerere is a neighborhood in the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The name also applies to the hill on which this neighborhood is perched; one of the original seven hills that constituted Kampala at the time of its founding.-Location:...
in 1928, was transferred to Banda Hill. Its role was to train Ugandan technicians and artisans. In 1948, the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) was established. Its first home was in Nyakasura, Kabarole District
Kabarole District
Kabarole District is a district in Western Uganda. Kabarole District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the traditional monarchies that are constitutionally recognised in modern-day Uganda. The kingdom is coterminus with Toro sub-region...
. It was subsequently moved to Mbarara
Mbarara
Mbarara is a town in Western Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Mbarara District and the location of the district headquarters. It is also the largest urban centre in Western Uganda.-Location:...
and finally to Kyambogo as well. In 1988, the Uganda National Institute of Special Education (UNISE), originally a department at ITEK, was spun off as a separate institution. In 2001, the three institutions were merged to form Kyambogo University
Kyambogo University
Kyambogo University , is a public university in Uganda. It was established in 2001 as the third public university in Uganda.-Location:...
, the third (3nd) of the five (5) public universities in Uganda.
Overview
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 SomaliSomali people
Somalis are an ethnic group located in the Horn of Africa, also known as the Somali Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of Somalis speak the Somali language, which is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family...
entrepreneur Amina Moghe Hersi
Amina Moghe Hersi
Amina Moghe Hersi is an award-winning Somali entrepreneur. She has launched several multi-million dollar projects in Kampala, Uganda, such as the luxury mall the Oasis Centre and the Laburnam Courts...
owns Kingstone Enterprises Limited, a cement distributorship, whose headquarters are located in Banda.
Landmarks
The landmarks on Banda Hill or close to it include:- Kyambogo UniversityKyambogo UniversityKyambogo University , is a public university in Uganda. It was established in 2001 as the third public university in Uganda.-Location:...
- One of the five (5) public universities in Uganda - Kyambogo College School - A mixed, non-residential public secondary school
- Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School - An all-girl residential secondary school
- A branch of Crane BankCrane BankCrane Bank is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the twenty-three commercial banks licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:The bank is a mid-sized financial services provider in Uganda...
- Located in Kyambogo University - A branch of Equity BankEquity Bank (Uganda)-Overview:The bank provides banking services to individuals and to small and medium business enterprises. As of December 2009, the bank was the 14th largest commercial bank in Uganda with an estimated asset valuation of approximately US$81.4 million or approximately 2% of all bank assets in the...
- Located in Kyambogo University - A branch of Stanbic BankStanbic Bank (Uganda) LimitedStanbic Bank Limited is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- Located in Kyambogo University - A palace of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi IIMuwenda Mutebi II of BugandaRonald Edward Frederick Muwenda Kimera Mutebi II is the reigning Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, a kingdom in modern-day Uganda. He is the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
- A military detach of the Uganda People's Defense Force
- The headquarters of Kingstone Enterprises Limited, a cementCementIn the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
distributorship; one of the companies of Amina Moghe HersiAmina Moghe HersiAmina Moghe Hersi is an award-winning Somali entrepreneur. She has launched several multi-million dollar projects in Kampala, Uganda, such as the luxury mall the Oasis Centre and the Laburnam Courts...
. - Banda Central Market - Administered by Kira MunicipalityKira TownKira Town is a municipality in Wakiso District in Central Uganda. It is administered by Kira Town Council, an Urban Local Government within Wakiso District Administration.-Location:...
See also
- KampalaKampalaKampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
- Kira MunicipalityKira TownKira Town is a municipality in Wakiso District in Central Uganda. It is administered by Kira Town Council, an Urban Local Government within Wakiso District Administration.-Location:...
- KirekaKirekaKireka is the name of a township in Central Uganda. It is one of the six townships or Wards that constitute Kira Municipality in Wakiso District...
- Kyambogo UniversityKyambogo UniversityKyambogo University , is a public university in Uganda. It was established in 2001 as the third public university in Uganda.-Location:...
- Muteesa I of BugandaMuteesa I of BugandaMuteesa I Mukaabya Walugembe Kayiira was Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, from 1856 until 1884. He was the thirtieth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
- Muwenda Mutebi II of BugandaMuwenda Mutebi II of BugandaRonald Edward Frederick Muwenda Kimera Mutebi II is the reigning Kabaka of the Kingdom of Buganda, a kingdom in modern-day Uganda. He is the thirty-sixth Kabaka of Buganda.-Claim to the throne:...
- Amina Moghe HersiAmina Moghe HersiAmina Moghe Hersi is an award-winning Somali entrepreneur. She has launched several multi-million dollar projects in Kampala, Uganda, such as the luxury mall the Oasis Centre and the Laburnam Courts...
- Wakiso DistrictWakiso DistrictWakiso District is a district in Central Uganda that encircles Kampala, Uganda's capital city. The district is named after the town of Wakiso, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
- Central Region, UgandaCentral Region, UgandaCentral Region is a region of Uganda. It is coterminous with the Kingdom of Buganda, one of the ancient African monarchies that are constitutionally recognised in Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...