At the time of Uganda's Independence from
Britain in 1962, Katwe was a center of African ingenuity, where
artisans,
craftsmen and
technicians repaired imported
electronics,
automobiles,
televisions,
refrigerators and all kinds of
appliances.[3] The more ingenious of these craftsmen would improvise and "manufacture" imitations of the original articles. The
Baganda, an ethnic group in Uganda call such improvised articles Magezi ga Baganda (Wisdom of Baganda). Over the next half a century, that ingenuity has sharpened, the industry has thrived and taken in more apprentices and the range of articles locally manufactured has increased. In 2007, it was estimated that Katwe employed over 3,000 artisans and metal fabricators in over 800 individual small enterprises. The Katwe artisans now collaborate with
Makerere University's Faculty of Technology, to take their industry to the next level.[4] Another group that has been traditionally attracted to Katwe are
entrepreneurs and independent
businesspeople, starting from meager beginnings, who have been viewed as "risky" by Uganda's conservative banking industry. These have included cooked food
vendors,
wholesalers of local foodstuffs,
herbalists and owners of small
transportation companies. One such an entrepreneur is Namutebi, a herbalist and owner of a transportation company. Despite her lack of formal education and young age (33 years in 2007), her estimated net worth was in the seven-figure range (in US$).[5] Other businesspeople who have come to Katwe include vendors of second-hand electronics, and sellers of scrap goods and previously-owned merchandise.[6]
Katwe has also attracted young men and women, with little education and practical skills who have resorted to all manner of crime, ranging from
prostitution and petty
thievery to
armed robbery and
murder. Katwe remains one of the highest crime-ridden areas in Kampala.[7][8] Politicians and community leaders have blamed the high crime rate to high unemployment and rampant use of recreational drugs, but lasting solutions to the problem remain elusive.[9]
The residential areas of Katwe have been a
slum, right from when human habitation started to appear along the railway tracks leading from
Kampala to
Kasese in the first half of the 20th century. However, starting around 2007, respectable office space started to appear on Katwe's main streets.
Quality Chemical Industries Limited, a Ugandan
pharmaceutical manufacturer has its head office at Quality Chemicals House, in Katwe.
Equity Bank maintains its headquarters in the area, having acquired Uganda Microfinance Limited which had established its headquarters there in August 2007.[10] Subsequently, other reputable
businesses, including
Orient Bank,
Tropical Bank,
Stanbic Bank,
Bank of Africa and
Airtel Telecom, are moving into the area, turning the former slum into a respectable business zone, one building at a time.[11]
Points of interest
The following points of interest lie within or near Katwe:
Katwe Central Market
Nakayima's Shrine - A place where a traditional
soothsayer interprets problems and predicts the future for a fee.[12]
Glory Ministries International - A place of worship affiliated with the
Pentecostal Movement[13]
Katwe Martyrs Church - A place of worship affiliated with the
Church of Uganda[14]
Nalongo's Restaurant - A restaurant that serves tradition
Ganda food. It has been in the neighborhood since the early 1960s.[15]
Katwe Primary School - An elementary school administered by the Uganda Ministry of Education[16]
Uganda Bikers Association Office - Offers motorcycles for rent to members[17]
Muganzirwazza Shopping Mall - A 5-storey shopping complex housing a supermarket, banks, cafes, pharmacies and hair saloons.