UGANDA, Mbuya | Real Muloodi News | The upscale suburb of Mbuya is an extremely popular because of the breathtaking views of Lake Victoria from the hill. It is close to the capital Kampala, and the high-end neighbourhood of Bugolobi.
Notable residencies in Mbuya include the Consulate of the Republic of Ghana, the Embassy of the Vatican, the Roman Catholic Church, and the residence of the Papal Nuncio.
Prior to European settlement, Mbuya Hill was the seat of Kaggo (the County Chief of Kyaddondo), which was among the 20 counties of the Buganda Kingdom. Kyaddondo county includes a large part of present-day Kampala. The headquarters later moved to Kasangati, and now Mbuya has evolved into an upscale residential and commercial neighbourhood.
Location
Seated on Mbuya hill in the southeast of Kampala City, Mbuya is bordered by Kyambogo, Bugolobi, Namuwongo, Nakawa, Butabika, and Mutungo. The suburb is approximately 10 kilometres from the Central Business District.
Shopping and Amenities
There are a plethora of shops, banks, petrol stations, and hotels in Mbuya. Of all the hotels, Enkombe Place provides one of the most memorable experiences. Enkombe Place offers an outdoor pool, a terrace perfect for barbecues, and car hire services.
Residents can visit a variety of restaurants such as Zone 7, and God is Able Fast Foods, Tuyle Group, and Waffaholic.
The suburb has several supermarkets, including City Joy supermarket and Jeba Grocery, which have many positive reviews.
The Military Referral Hospital located in Lower Mbuya is currently under construction. It will be one of the two military hospitals in Uganda; the other is located in Bombo. The Hospital will be a state-of-the-art 250 bed diagnostic and treatment facility. The US $28.2m facility is expected to have all hospital departments and a medical school.
Real Estate
Mbuya is classified as an upper-middle income area along with Luzira, Muyenga, Lubowa, Ntinda, Naguru. These upper-middle-income areas all neighbour the high-income areas and usually have more stand-alone houses in gated communities than apartments. Residents of upper-middle-income areas include corporate people, military personnel, as well as investors and business owners.
A recent report by Cytonn Research shows that, on average, upper-middle-income areas have a rental yield of 7.4 per cent, with three-bedroom units as the best performing topology. The occupancy levels of these properties are close to 85 per cent across all topologies and have a price of US$1158 per square metre.
The report attributes such high rental yields in upper-middle-income areas to “high demand, low supply, proximity to the city centre, ample supply of amenities including schools and hospitals.”
Price Range
In Mbuya, 3-5 bedroom stand-alone villas with spacious compounds range between USD 320,000 – USD 650,000. The rental returns of these villas varies, depending on the amenities provided. For example, a four-bedroom furnished house with a pool yields USD 5,000 per month, while one that is unfurnished and has no pool yields around USD 2,000 per month.
4-5 bedroom bungalows sell for as high as USD 1 million.
The number of upscale apartments is on the rise. Knight Frank offers 1-3 bedroom apartments for an average rent price of USD2800. Much like the very luxurious apartments in Bugolobi, these apartments provide DSTv, 24-hr security, air-conditioning, and a standby generator.
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