Mukono Town is a municipality in Mukono District, Central Uganda. The town is administered by Mukono Town Council, an Urban Local Government within Mukono District Administration.
Mukono Town is bordered by Kalagi to the north, Kira Town to the west, Lake Victoria to the south and Lugazi to the east. It lies 27 kilometers (17 mi) east of the central business district of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city. The town occupies approximately 31.4 square kilometers (12.1 sq mi) of land area. The coordinates of the town of Mukono are: 00 21 36N, 32 45 00E (Latitude: 0.3600; Longitude: 32.7500). Mukono is one of Uganda’s fastest growing urban areas. The 2002 national census estimated the population of the town at 46,506. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population at about 57,400. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population of Mukono at 59,000.
Mukono District originally comprised the Buganda Kingdom counties of Kyaggwe, Bugerere and Buvuma. In December 2000, Bugerere was constituted into Kayunga District. In July 2010, Buvuma was granted district status, becoming Buvuma District. The remaining mainland Kyaggwe was also partitioned with the eastern portion becoming Buikwe District.
Tourist attractions
The district is blessed with a favorable climate, abundant rainfall, rich flora/fauna and proximity to urban areas. The major tourist attractions in the district include:
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa and the second largest fresh-water lake in the world. The lake is a lasting source of pleasure. Water sports available on the lake include:
- Sport Fishing
- Rafting
- Canoeing
- Cruising
- Sailing
Ssezibwa Falls
In the middle of the district runs river Ssezibwa, believed by Buganda legend to have been born by one ‘Nakangu Tibatesa’ the wife of ‘Nsubuga Sebwaato’ in Kawuna, Ngongwe, around the time of the Christian biblical prophet Isaiah. The river flows into Lake Kyoga. The nature of its birth makes the river a cultural symbol of great importance to Buganda’s heritage.
The falls are located 2.5 kilometers (1.6 mi) off the Kampala-Jinja Highway, 7 miles (11 km) east of Mukono. The falls offer beautiful scenery for tourists and nature lovers. Next to the falls is a spacious ground for campers and holidaymakers. The site also has a natural forest reserve, which has forest trails and nature walkways for bird watching and forest exploration. Over 100 bird species and some wild animals including rare species of monkeys may be found in this location.
Ssezibwa Falls is also a cultural site of the Baganda and has cultural artifacts including caves, 100 year old trees and special rocks of deep cultural significance to the Baganda of Buganda in central Uganda. It is one of the official cultural cites of the Buganda Kingdom.
Cultural Sites
Other Buganda cultural sites located in Mukono District include:
- Ngamba Islands in the Koome Archipelago in Lake Victoria
- Ssekabaka Kintu’s Palace at Dindo
- Nabitimba Cultural Site – Repository for some of Buganda’s Cultural Drums