Jinja is the largest
townA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in
UgandaUganda , 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...
, Africa. It is the second busiest commercial center in the country, after
KampalaKampala 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's capital and only
cityA city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
. Jinja was established in 1907.
Location
Jinja lies in southeastern Uganda, approximately 54 miles (86.9 km), by road, east of
KampalaKampala 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...
. The town is located on the shores of
Lake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
, near to the source of the
Nile RiverThe White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
. Jinja is the largest metropolitan area in
Jinja DistrictJinja District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, it is named after its main municipal and commercial center, Jinja.-Location:...
, and is considered the capital of the Kingdom of
BusogaBusoga is a traditional Bantu kingdom in present-day Uganda.It is a cultural institution that promotes popular participation and unity among the people of Busoga, through cultural and developmental programs for the improved livelihood of the people of Busoga. It strives for a united people of...
.
Nearby towns and villages include
NjeruNjeru is a town in Buikwe District, Central Uganda. It is the largest town in the district.-Location:Njeru is located approximately northeast of Buikwe, where the district headquarters are located. This location is about west of downtown Jinja...
(1.9 nmi (3.5 km)), Buwenda (2.8 nmi (5.2 km)),
KimakaKimaka is a neighborhood in the city of Jinja, in Eastern Uganda.-Location:Kimaka is bordered by to the west by the Nile River, , to the south by the Kampala-Jinja Highway , to the east by Qaddafi Barracks and to the north by the area...
(2.8 nmi (5.2 km)), Mpumudde (2.6 nmi (4.8 km)), Masese (2.3 nmi (4.3 km)), Walukuba (2.4 nmi (4.4 km)) and Bugungu (1.5 nmi (2.8 km))
History
Before 1906, Jinja was a fishing village that benefited from being located on long-distance trade routes. The origin of the name "Jinja" comes from the language of the two peoples (the
BagandaThe Ganda are an ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally comprising 52 tribes the Ganda have a rich history and culture...
and the Basoga) that lived on either side of the River Nile in the area. In both languages "Jinja" means "Rock". In most of
AfricaAfrica is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, rivers like the Nile hindered migration, this explains the ethnic boundaries along the Nile as one moves north from the river's source on the northern shores of
Lake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
.
However the area around Jinja was one place where the river could be breached due to the large rocks near the Ripon Falls. Here, on either bank of the river, were large flat rocks where small boats could be launched to cross the river. These rock formations were also accredited with providing a natural moderator for the water flow out of Lake Victoria. For the original local inhabitants, the location was a crossing point, for trade, migration and as a fishing post.
This might explain why, despite this barrier, the two tribes have very similar languages, and the more powerful
BagandaThe Ganda are an ethnic group native to Buganda, a subnational kingdom within Uganda. Traditionally comprising 52 tribes the Ganda have a rich history and culture...
had an enormous influence on the Basoga. The area was called the 'Place of Rocks' or 'The Place of Flat Rocks'. The word for stones or rocks in the
language of the BagandaGanda, or Luganda , is the major language of Uganda, spoken by over sixteen million Ganda and other people mainly in Southern Uganda, including the capital Kampala. It belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
is
'Ejjinja (Plural
Amayinja), and in the Basoga
dialectThe term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
this became
Edinda. The British used this reference to name the town they established - "Jinja"
In 1954,with the building of the Owen Falls Dam, (later renamed
Nalubaale Power StationNalubaale Power Station, often known by its old name, Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near to its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda...
, the Ripon Falls were submerged. Most of the 'Flat Rocks' that gave the area its name disappeared under water as well. However a description of what the area looked like can be found in the notes of
John Hanning SpekeJohn 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:...
, the first European to lay eyes on the Source of the Nile:
- “Though beautiful, the scene was not exactly what I expected, for the broad surface of the lake was shut out from view by a spur of hill, and the falls, about twelve feet deep and four to five hundred feet broad, were broken by rocks; still it was a sight that attracted one to it for hours. The roar of the waters, the thousands of passenger fish leaping at the falls with all their might, the fishermen coming out in boats, and taking post on all the rocks with rod and hook, hippopotami and crocodiles lying sleepily on the water, the ferry at work above the falls, and cattle driven down to drink at the margin of the lake, made in all, with the pretty nature of the country—small grassy-topped hills, with trees in the intervening valleys and on the lower slopes—as interesting a picture as one could wish to see.”
CottonCotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
-packing, nearby sugar estates, and railway access all enabled Jinja to grow in size. By 1906 a street pattern had been laid out, and
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n traders moved in starting around 1910. The Indians were Catholic Christians and English-speaking, and originated in the former
PortuguesePortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colony of
GoaGoa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
on the west coast of
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
The town was founded in 1907 by the British, as an administrative centre for the Provincial Government Headquarters for
BusogaBusoga is a traditional Bantu kingdom in present-day Uganda.It is a cultural institution that promotes popular participation and unity among the people of Busoga, through cultural and developmental programs for the improved livelihood of the people of Busoga. It strives for a united people of...
region. This was around the time that Lake Victoria's importance in transport rose due to the
Uganda RailwayThe Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
linking
KisumuKisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter...
, a
KenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n town on the lake, with
MombasaMombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
on the
Indian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, 900 miles (1,448.4 km) away. British-American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) established a
tobaccoTobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
processing factory in Jinja in 1928.
Growth patterns
The town remained the capital of Busoga region, and in 1956, it was granted municipality status. Jinja was the industrial heart of Uganda between 1954 and the late 1970s - supported by power from the hydroelectric
Nalubaale Power StationNalubaale Power Station, often known by its old name, Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near to its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda...
at the Owen Falls Dam, which was completed in 1954. The dam meant that Jinja enjoyed clean, potable water on tap and an unwavering electricity supply throughout the 1960s. There was also a new and highly efficient drainage system leading into capacious sewers that emptied directly into the River Nile. Cars began to appear in the 1960s, often as taxi services.
In the 1950s, Manchester-based Calico Printers' Association, in association with the
Uganda Development CorporationThe Uganda Development Corporation is a government-controlled organisation in the East African state of Uganda. Formed in 1952, it had some success in promoting Ugandan industrial development, and was swelled with the addition of newly nationalised industries in the early 1970s...
(UDC), constructed a large textile mill (Nyanza Textile Industries Limited), locally known as
Nytil. The textile mill utilised hydro-electric power from the Owen Falls Dam. By 1973 Nytil employed about 3,000 people and exclusively used Uganda cotton to spin, weave, and dye or print, to sell via its own retail chain, Lebel, throughout
UgandaUganda , 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...
and
KenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. Genuine Nytil fabric was recognised by the "Silver Shilling" - a foil piece resembling a shilling which was inserted at one yard intervals along the edge of every cloth length produced. As Jinja grew, new roads were constructed, serving the many who lived outside the town. Each morning in the 1960s there would be a line of two-wheel traffic heading for the 'sokoni' or marketplace with cargoes of bananas or sacks of
charcoalCharcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
.
Population during the 1950s and 1960s
During the 1960s, Jinja, like other towns in Uganda, was subtly segregated. The white population was quite small and tended to live in mixed European/Asian (
East IndianIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) neighbourhoods separated from African neighbourhoods. The European/Asian areas were generally by the lakeside with houses affording large gardens. Although Europeans and Asians lived here in close proximity the facilities of the nearby Jinja Club with golf, tennis, squash and a swimming pool; the Sailing club; Nile Rugby Club; and Nile Football Club were mainly enjoyed by Europeans.
At this time the Jinja Club famously had a golf local rule allowing a free drop (of the ball) if it came to rest in a hippo foot print. Although hippos were rarely seen on the course a number of the more savvy members still managed to take advantage of the rule.
European children studied at the Victoria Nile School, and were then sent to be schooled at
NairobiNairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
or in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Indians were the commercial and business class and lived in the rest of the town, and they greatly valued education. In 1968, the huge Jinja Secondary School had one white student and about half a dozen blacks, while the remaining 500 students were all Asian.
The Hard Times
All Asians were expelled from Uganda by
Idi AminIdi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
in 1972. Under Idi Amin's bloody rule, it is said that so many bodies were dumped in Lake Victoria that they often blocked the hydroelectric intake channels at the Owen Falls Dam. Much of Jinja's architecture is Indian-influenced, but maintenance of buildings and details such as shop-fronts fell after the Indians left. Management of local industries also suffered after the expulsion.
Population during the 2000s
The 2002 national census calculated Jinja's population to be approximately 71,213. In 2008, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the population of the city at 82,800. With an estimated daily commuter population of approximately 80,000 to 100,000, Jinja on any given business day, contains anywhere from 212,150 to 232,150 people. The majority of the population are of Bantu origin. Lusoga is the main local language. Jinja has a large population of inhabitants who are defined as "working urban poor". The average annual household income is estimated at US
$The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
100.
The Mayor of Jinja is Hon. Muhammad Kezaala Baswale. Jinja has been twinned with
FinchleyFinchley is a district in Barnet in north London, England. Finchley is on high ground, about north of Charing Cross. It formed an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, becoming a municipal borough in 1933, and has formed part of Greater London since 1965...
,
LondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
since 1963. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population of the town at 89,700.
Economy
AgricultureUganda's favorable soil conditions and climate have contributed to the country's agricultural success. Most areas of Uganda have usually received plenty of rain. In some years, small areas of the southeast and southwest have averaged more than 150 millimeters per month. In the north, there is often...
thrives on the fertile soils, abundant water sources, and reliable rainfall. Other industries are metal processing,
leatherLeather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
and
paper processingA paper mill is a factory devoted to making paper from vegetable fibres such as wood pulp, old rags and other ingredients using a Fourdrinier machine or other type of paper machine.- History :...
,
grainGRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
milling,
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
, some
organicOrganic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
fruits, and
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
growing for
exportThe term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
, and
brewingBrewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
for local sale. There is some local and export fishing on Lake Victoria. British-American Tobacco Uganda (BATU) closed its Jinja tobacco-processing factory in 2005, due to high taxes. The biggest local employer is currently the
Kakira Sugar WorksKakira Sugar Works Limited, often referred to as Kakira Sugar Works , is a leading sugar manufacturer in Uganda.-Overview:Kakira Sugar Works is the largest manufacturer of sugar in Uganda, producing an estimated 165,000 metric tonnes annually, accounting for about 47% of the national output in 2011...
, a member of the
Madhvani GroupThe Madhvani Group of Companies commonly referred to as the Madhvani Group, is one of the largest conglomerates in Uganda, with a total asset base in excess of US$275 million, as of April 2009. The group has investments in Uganda, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, Tanzania, the Middle East, India and North...
of companies. Kakira Sugar Works is one of the largest sugar factories in East Africa, employing over 75,000. The factory burns bagasse byproducts from sugar manufacturing to generate 20 MW of electricity for internal use. The excess electricity is sold to the national grid.
The headquarters of Nile Breweries can also be found in
NjeruNjeru is a town in Buikwe District, Central Uganda. It is the largest town in the district.-Location:Njeru is located approximately northeast of Buikwe, where the district headquarters are located. This location is about west of downtown Jinja...
, a suburb of Jinja, near the Source of the Nile, from which the brewery has been drawing its water for the past fifty years. Building of the brewery commenced in 1952 but was only completed four years later. Bottles of Nile Beer (now Nile Special Lager and still the company's flagship brand) were first enjoyed by consumers back in 1956. In 2001, Nile Breweries Limited was fully acquired by
South African BreweriesThe South African Breweries , then called Castle Breweries, was founded in 1895 specifically to serve a new market of miners and prospectors in and around Johannesburg. Two years later, it became the first industrial company to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange...
Ltd. (SAB). A year later, in May 2002, SAB acquired
Miller Brewing CompanyThe Miller Brewing Company is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters are located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the company has brewing facilities in Albany, Georgia; Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin; Eden, North Carolina; Fort Worth, Texas;...
in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, thus forming
SABMillerSABMiller plc is a global brewing and bottling company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's second-largest brewing company measured by revenues and is also a major bottler of Coca-Cola. Its brands include Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell...
Plc.
In recent years, Nile Breweries' investment in its people, brands and physical assets have given rich reward, both in performance and recognition. Volume growth and profitability have steadily risen, along with significant debt reduction that threatened the company's ability to trade during the early part of the decade. This has encouraged further capital project investment.
Compared to other urban areas, Jinja's economic recovery has been rather sluggish. Uganda's economic boom that started in 1990s saw rapid expansion in Uganda's capital
KampalaKampala 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...
, which is only 87 kilometres (54.1 mi) west of Jinja.
In the past, factories chose Jinja as their base due to the proximity of the electric power station at the Owen Falls Dam. However, in recent years, it has become more convenient to locate businesses in Kampala due to the latter's more vibrant economy. Furthermore, a significant number of the
BusogaBusoga is a traditional Bantu kingdom in present-day Uganda.It is a cultural institution that promotes popular participation and unity among the people of Busoga, through cultural and developmental programs for the improved livelihood of the people of Busoga. It strives for a united people of...
'elite' have moved to Kampala to benefit from the social and economic advantages it has over Jinja. Another controversial reason is the improvement of the road infrastructure between Kampala and the coast at
MombasaMombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
in
KenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
which is Uganda's only route to the
Indian OceanThe Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and the country's main trade route. The poor maintenance of this route during the 1970s and 1980s meant that most trucks carrying goods to and from the coast were diverted into the heart of Jinja on their way to and from Kampala. This supported a significant part of Jinja's economy. Once the main road was repaired, these trucks started to by-pass Jinja.
The International oil refining company called
Bidco, maintains an oil refinery factory in the city. The palm oil fruits come from Bidco's 6500 hectares (16,061.8 acre) plantation on
Bugala IslandBugala Island is the second largest island in Lake Victoria, Uganda, after Ukerewe Island. Its area is or . It is a part of the Ssese Islands in the Kalangala District. Chief town is Kalangala....
in the
Ssese Islands ArchipelagoThe Ssese Islands are an archipelago of eighty-four islands in the northwestern part of Lake Victoria in Uganda. The islands are coterminous with the Kalangala District in southern Central Uganda, which does not have any territory on mainland Uganda....
,
Kalangala DistrictKalangala is a district in southern Central Uganda. The district is coterminous with the Ssese Islands in Lake Victoria and does not have territory on mainland Uganda...
, in
Lake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
. The factory in the islands crushes the fruit and the crude
palm oilPalm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
is transported to Jinja for refining into edible oil and other products.
Other industries in Jinja include the following:
- Nile Plywood Limited
- White Nile Dairy Limited
- Nile Agroprocessors Limited
- Engano Grain Millers Limited
- Kengrow Industries Limited
- Sky Fat Limited
- Jinja Leather Tannery Limited
- Uganda Steel Rolling Mills Limited - US$13 million plant under construction, with capacity to produce 150 metric tonnes of steel daily.
- Alam Sugar Factory
- Alam Thermal Power Station - A 20MW thermal power station, using baggase to generate electricity.
Infrastructure
Jinja boasts a main
post officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and several other smaller branches, town hall, a main
hospitalA hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, pharmacies and dispensaries. There is also a
golf courseA golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, a sports center with tennis and other facilities available. There is a sports stadium in the city center as well as a football and athletics stadium in
BugembeBugembe is a town in Jinja District, Eastern Uganda. It is the seat of the Kingdom of Busoga, one of the four constitutional mornachies in Uganda, which is coterminus with Busoga sub-region.-Location:...
, another suburb of Jinja, 5 miles (8 km) east of the central business district. Also available now, are several
internet cafeAn Internet café or cybercafé is a place which provides internet access to the public, usually for a fee. These businesses usually provide snacks and drinks, hence the café in the name...
s. There are numerous commercial establishments including factories and shops.
Recently, Jinja Municipality was lined up along with Mbarara Municipality for elevation to city status.
The list of financial institutions with branches in Jinja includes:
- Bank of Africa
Bank of Africa , whose complete name is Bank of Africa Limited, is a commercial bank in Uganda. The bank is a member of the Bank of Africa Group, a multinational, Pan African bank headquartered in Bamako, Mali, with presence in eleven African countries, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi,...
- Bank of Baroda
Bank of Baroda is a commercial bank in Uganda. The bank is involved in all aspects of commercial banking, focusing on servicing large, medium and small business enterprises as well as individuals...
- Barclays Bank
Barclays Bank Limited, commonly known as Barclays Bank , is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the twenty-three commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- Centenary Bank
Centenary Bank is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the twenty-three licensed commercial banks in the country.-Overview:The bank is a mid-sized financial services provider in Uganda. It is primarily involved in the promotion of development through loans to rural farmers, processors of...
- Crane Bank
Crane 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...
- DFCU Bank
DFCU Bank, commonly known as DFCU, but whose full name is Development Finance Company of Uganda Bank Limited, is a commercial bank in Uganda...
- Diamond Trust Bank
-Overwiew:As of November 2011, the bank is a fast-growing, medium-sized, banking institution, providing commercial banking services to individuals and small-to-medium-sized corporate clients...
- Equity Bank
-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...
- Kenya Commercial Bank
- Orient Bank
Orient Bank is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the twenty-two commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- PostBank Uganda
PostBank Uganda is a non-bank credit institution in Uganda. As of May 2010, PostBank Uganda was a small credit institution whose asset base was estimated at about US$39 million.-History:...
- Stanbic Bank
Stanbic 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:...
- Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank Limited, commonly known as Stanchart Uganda, is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the banks licensed by the Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- Tropical Bank
Tropical Bank is a commercial bank in Uganda. As of April 2010, the bank is the 11th largest commercial bank in Uganda with an estimated asset valuation of US$110 million, representing approximately 3% of all bank assets in the country...
- United Bank for Africa
United Bank for Africa Plc is a public limited company incorporated in Nigeria in 1961 and headquartered in Lagos. It is one of Africa’s leading financial institutions offering universal banking to more than 7 million customers across 750 branches in 19 African countries and a presence in New...
- Opportunity Uganda Limited
Opportunity Uganda Limited , is a credit institution in Uganda.-Location:The head offices of Opportunity Uganda Limited are located at 7 Babiiha Avenue, on Kololo Hill, an upscale business and residential neighborhood, within the city of Kampala, Uganda's capital...
, a Tier II Financial Institution-The early years:Prior to Uganda’s independence in 1962, Government-owned institutions dominated most banking in Uganda. In 1966 the Bank of Uganda, which controlled the issue of currency and managed foreign exchange reserves, became the Central Bank. Uganda Commercial Bank, which had fifty...
- Pride Microfinance Limited
Pride Microfinance Limited , is a Microfinance Deposit-taking Institution in Uganda.-Location:The headquarters of PML are located in Metropole House, on Entebbe Road, in the central business district of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
, a Tier III Financial Institution-The early years:Prior to Uganda’s independence in 1962, Government-owned institutions dominated most banking in Uganda. In 1966 the Bank of Uganda, which controlled the issue of currency and managed foreign exchange reserves, became the Central Bank. Uganda Commercial Bank, which had fifty...
- Uganda Finance Trust Limited
Uganda Finance Trust Limited , commonly called Finance Trust, is a Microfinance Deposit-taking Institution in Uganda.-Location:...
, a Tier III Financial Institution-The early years:Prior to Uganda’s independence in 1962, Government-owned institutions dominated most banking in Uganda. In 1966 the Bank of Uganda, which controlled the issue of currency and managed foreign exchange reserves, became the Central Bank. Uganda Commercial Bank, which had fifty...
- Jinja Currency Center - A currency storage and processing facility, owned and operated by the Bank of Uganda
The Bank of Uganda is the Central Bank of the Republic of Uganda. Established in 1966, by Act of Parliament, BOU is 100% owned by the Government of Uganda, but is not a government department.-Organization and Governance:...
, Uganda's Central BankA central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is a public institution that usually issues the currency, regulates the money supply, and controls the interest rates in a country. Central banks often also oversee the commercial banking system of their respective countries...
.
- National Social Security Fund
The National Social Security Fund is a semi-government agency responsible for the collection, safekeeping, responsible investment and distribution of retirement funds from employees of the private sector in Uganda, who are not covered by the Government Retirement Scheme...
The city also has several educational establishments including:
- The eastern campus of Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
- Fairland University
-Location:The campus of Fairland University is located at 30/34 Eden Road, Walukuba Masese Zone, within the city of Jinja, Uganda's second largest commercial center, approximately , by road, east of Kampala, the capital of Uganda...
- Jinja College
- Jinja Philosophy Center
- Busoga College Mwiiri
Busoga College Mwiri, often known simply as 'Mwiri', is a boarding school in Jinja District, Uganda which was founded in 1911 with the name of Balangira High School. As the name suggests, it was meant for only sons of kings and chiefs but this later changed to include the sons of all Ugandans. Many...
- Kiira College Butiiki
- Madhvani College Wairaka
- Wanyange Girls School
- Jinja Girls Seondary School
- Jinja Senior Secondary School
- St. James Senior Secondary School
- Masese Girls School
- Holy Cross Schools
- Mpavo University
- Riverside Primary School
- Arya School
- Kiira Kids International School
- Mwiri Primary School
- Kakira Secondary School
- Lords Meade School
Jinja is the location of
Qaddafi Barracks, an institution of the
Uganda People's Defence ForceThe Uganda Peoples Defence Force , previously the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimates the UPDF has a total strength of 40–45,000, and consists of land forces and an Air Wing.The IISS Military Balance 2007 says there...
. The town is also the location of the
Uganda Senior Command and Staff CollegeThe Uganda Senior Command and Staff College , is a training facility for the Military of Uganda, including the army, air force and special forces.-Location:...
, another UPDF institution, located at
KimakaKimaka is a neighborhood in the city of Jinja, in Eastern Uganda.-Location:Kimaka is bordered by to the west by the Nile River, , to the south by the Kampala-Jinja Highway , to the east by Qaddafi Barracks and to the north by the area...
, a neighborhood situated about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) north of the
central business districtA 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"...
of Jinja.
There are many primary schools due to Uganda's universal primary education. Notable schools that are some of the finest in Uganda include Lake Victoria Primary School, Narambai Primary School and Mpumudde Primary School among others. The schools operate a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- style system of
educationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
. The literacy rate is currently around 60 percent.
In 1993, construction began on a second power station, at the source of the
White NileThe White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
; an extension of the original
Nalubaale Power StationNalubaale Power Station, often known by its old name, Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near to its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda...
. The new extension, completed in 2003, was named Kiyira Power Station, and is capable of producing 200MW of hydroelectric power at maximum utilization.
Transport
Jinja is a major station on the
Uganda RailwayThe Uganda Railway is a railway system and former railway company linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya with the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya.-Origins:...
and is a
portA port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
for
Lake Victoria ferriesLake Victoria ferries are motor ships carrying freight and passengers between Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya on Lake Victoria...
. From the early 1900s access to the railway was by
ferryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
to the
railheadThe word railhead is a railway term with two distinct meanings, depending upon its context.Sometimes, particularly in the context of modern freight terminals, the word is used to denote a terminus of a railway line, especially if the line is not yet finished, or if the terminus interfaces with...
at Kisumu. It was not until the 1930s that the track was extended into Uganda.
There is a good
tarmacTarmac is a type of road surface. Tarmac refers to a material patented by Edgar Purnell Hooley in 1901...
road west from Jinja to the capital,
KampalaKampala 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...
87 kilometres (54.1 mi), 90 minutes by car, two hours by bus). The tarmac road to
TororoTororo is a town in Eastern Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Tororo District. The district was named after the town.-Location:...
100 kilometres (62.1 mi) to the east of Jinja, is generally in poorer condition. Buses and minibus taxis provide transport between Jinja and other Ugandan towns.
Transport in Jinja is dominated by the motorbike (Boda boda) and small cars locally known as "Mycar". This is important to the Jinja, and there are thousands of owner operators in the town and the surrounding areas.
Jinja AirportJinja Airport is an airport in Uganda. It is one of the forty-six airports in the country.-Location:Jinja Airport is located in eastern Uganda, approximately , by air, east of Entebbe International Airport, the country’s largest civilian and military airport.The geographic coordinates of this...
, a small
civilianA civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
and
militaryA military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
airportAn airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, is located at Kimaka, about 4 kilometres (2.5 mi), north of Jinja's
central business districtA 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"...
.
A new bridge, known as the
New Jinja BridgeThe New Jinja Bridge is a proposed bridge to be constructed in Uganda. It will complement the Nalubaale Bridge, which was built in 1954.-Location:...
, is planned across the River Nile, connecting the town of
NjeruNjeru is a town in Buikwe District, Central Uganda. It is the largest town in the district.-Location:Njeru is located approximately northeast of Buikwe, where the district headquarters are located. This location is about west of downtown Jinja...
to Jinja. Construction is expected to start in 2012 and be completed in 2016.
Local attractions
Local attractions include white-water rafting, the "Source of the Nile", and a large
breweryA brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
. About 5 miles (8 km) north of Jinja is the site where the
Bujagali Power Station-Location:The power station is located across the Victoria Nile, about north of Jinja immediately north of the former location of Bujagali Falls. This location lies at the border between Buikwe District to the west and Jinja District to the east...
is under construction, as of May 2009. When completed in 2011, the hydroelectric facility will provide 250 MW of electric power.
There is a private
sailingSailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
Club on the shores of Lake Victoria. There is an animal sanctuary at
BuwengeBuwenge is a town in Jinja District in Eastern Uganda. The headquarters of Jinja District will be relocated to Buwenge when Jinja attains city status in 2011.-Location:...
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) north of Jinja on the highway to
KamuliKamuli is a town in Eastern Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Kamuli District, and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
. Buwenge is also the location of the headquarters of
Jinja DistrictJinja District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, it is named after its main municipal and commercial center, Jinja.-Location:...
, in which the city of Jinja is located.
The 9 hole (18 tee)
golf courseA golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
was originally laid out in the mid-1920s; and famously had a local rule allowing a free drop of the ball if it came to rest in a
hippoThe hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
's hoof print. The course has tremendous views of the Nile and Lake Victoria and the second green is within a 'lob wedge' of the source of the Nile.
Some of
Mahatma GandhiMohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
's ashes were scattered into the source of the White Nile. There is a small memorial garden at the spot. There is an active
Hindu temple near Jinja, which has a bronze bust of Gandhi. There is also a Buddhist temple.
About 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) south, in Lake Victoria, is
Buvuma IslandBuvuma Island refers to a Lake Victorian island chain and the chain's largest island.-Location:This chain of more than fifty islands is located a few kilometres off the northern shore of Lake Victoria, Uganda in the Napoleon Gulf. Buvuma lies some 25 km south of the major city of Jinja, and...
whose forests sometimes attract intrepid bird-watchers.
The town has several restaurants, cafes and hotels open to diners.
Plans are underway for the construction of a Zoo around the source of the Nile in Jinja. The Zoo will be the second in Uganda after the Uganda Wild Life Education Centre in Entebbe, about 100km away.
Other landmarks
Jinja is the location of the headquarters of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO), a subsidiary of the
East African CommunityThe East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...
. Jinja is also the location of the headquarters of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Jinja, headed by a Catholic bishop, currently, the Rt. Reverend Bishop Charles Martin Wamika.
Geographic data
Humanitarian Organization in Jinja.
Jinja Municipality also hosts the Regional offices of Uganda Red cross Society a humanitarian organization on plot 29 Oboja Road.The current Manager responsible for this office is Mr. Male William Kayiwa.This office is also charged with mobilizing blood in Busoga regionand there is a Blood collection centre in place.
See also
- Jinja District
Jinja District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, it is named after its main municipal and commercial center, Jinja.-Location:...
- Jinja Hospital
Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, commonly known as Jinja Hospital, is a hospital in the city of Jinja, eastern Uganda. It is the largest hospital in eastern Uganda, with a bed capacity of 600, although many more patients are admitted, with many sleeping on the floor.-Location:The hospital is...
- Jinja Airport
Jinja Airport is an airport in Uganda. It is one of the forty-six airports in the country.-Location:Jinja Airport is located in eastern Uganda, approximately , by air, east of Entebbe International Airport, the country’s largest civilian and military airport.The geographic coordinates of this...
- Kiira Power Station
Kiira Power Station, sometimes spelled Kiyira Power Station, is a hydroelectric power station with an installed capacity of 200MW, in Uganda.-Location:...
- List of birds in Jinja
- Nalubaale Power Station
Nalubaale Power Station, often known by its old name, Owen Falls Dam, is a hydroelectric power station across the White Nile near to its source at Lake Victoria in Uganda...
- Madhvani Group
The Madhvani Group of Companies commonly referred to as the Madhvani Group, is one of the largest conglomerates in Uganda, with a total asset base in excess of US$275 million, as of April 2009. The group has investments in Uganda, Rwanda, Southern Sudan, Tanzania, the Middle East, India and North...
- Njeru
Njeru is a town in Buikwe District, Central Uganda. It is the largest town in the district.-Location:Njeru is located approximately northeast of Buikwe, where the district headquarters are located. This location is about west of downtown Jinja...
External links