Mbarara City is a city in the Western Region of

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...

and the second largest city in Uganda after

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

. The city is divided into 6 boroughs of

Kakoba Division Kakoba Division is one of the 6 divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality, Uganda. The other 5 Divisions are as follows: 1. Kamukuzi Division, 2. Nyamitanga Division, 3. Biharwe Division, 4. Kakiika Division 5. Nyakayojo Division Location Th ...

Kamukuzi Division {{unreferenced, date=March 2015 Kamukuzi Division is one of the six divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality. The six divisions that make up Mbarara are, Nyamitanga Division, Kamukuzi Division Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Divis ...

Nyamitanga Division Nyamitanga Division is one of the six administrative divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality. The six divisions that make Mbarara Municipality include, Kamukuzi Division Nyamitanga Division, Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Division ...

Biharwe Division Biharwe Division is one of the six administrative divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality of Western Uganda. The six divisions that make Mbarara Municipality include, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, ...

Kakiika Division Kakiika Division is one of the six administrative divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality in Uganda. The six divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality include, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, Kaki ...

Nyakayojo Division Nyakayojo Division is one of the six administrative divisions that make up Mbarara Municipality. The six divisions that make Mbarara Municipality include, Kamukuzi Division, Nyamitanga Division, Kakoba Division, Biharwe Division, Kakiika Divisio ...

. It is the main commercial centre of most of south western districts of Uganda and the site of the district headquarters. In May 2019, the Uganda's cabinet granted Mbarara a city status, which started on 1 July 2020.

Location

Mbarara is an important

transport hub A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles and/or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include railway stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stops, airports and ferry slips. F ...

, lying west of

Masaka Masaka is a city in the Buganda Region of Uganda, west of Lake Victoria. The city is the headquarters of Masaka District. Location Masaka is approximately to the south-west of Kampala on the highway to Mbarara. The city is close to the Equator ...

on the road to

Kabale Kabale is a town in the Western Region, Uganda, Western Region of Uganda. It is the chief town of Kabale District, and the district headquarters are located there. Sometimes nicknamed “Kastone” as in the local language Rukiga, a “kabale” ...

, near

Lake Mburo National Park Lake Mburo National Park is a national park located in Nyabushozi County, Kiruhura District near Mbarara in Uganda. Location Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura District in the Western Region of Uganda, about east of Mbarara and ab ...

. This is about , by road, southwest of

, Uganda's capital and oldest city. The coordinates of the Mbarara central business district are 00 36 48S, 30 39 30E (Latitude:-0.6132; Longitude:30.6582). The city lies at an average elevation at about above sea level.

City Wards

The city has a total of 23 wards spread across 6 divisions and 2 constituencies

Population

In 2002, the national census estimated the population of the town at 69,400. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population at 82,000 in 2010. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 83,700. In August 2014, the national population census put the population at 195,013.

Climate

Between the driest and wettest months, the difference in precipitation is 94 mm , 4 inch. The variation in annual temperature is around 2.4 °C , 4.3 °F. The month with the highest relative humidity is November (76.93 %). The month with the lowest relative humidity is July (53.76 %). The month with the highest number of rainy days is October (22.37 days). The month with the lowest number of rainy days is July (3.67 days). Mbarara is in the middle and the summers are that easy to define.

Growth and expansion

Mbarara came from behind and developed to surpass

Entebbe Entebbe is a city in Central Uganda. Located on a Lake Victoria peninsula, approximately southwest of the Ugandan capital city, Kampala. Entebbe was once the seat of government for the Protectorate of Uganda prior to independence, in 1962. The c ...

Gulu Gulu is a city in the Northern Region of Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The coordinates of the city of Gulu are 2°46'54.0"N 32°17'57.0"E. The distance from Gulu to Kampala, Uganda's capital and large ...

, and Jinja. As of 2014, Mbarara was the second-largest city in Uganda after

and also second to Kampala in importance, industry, and infrastructure. Starting with 2000, modern buildings have been established including malls, arcades, plaza, and hotels. Modern hospitals have also been constructed including

Mbarara Hospital Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, commonly known as Mbarara Hospital, is a hospital in Mbarara in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the referral hospital for the region and specifically for the districts of Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Kiru ...

, which is now a Regional Referral Hospital, ''Mbarara Community Hospital'', a private hospital located in Kyamugorani,

, and

Mayanja Memorial Hospital Mayanja Memorial Hospital (MMH), is a private, not-for-profit hospital in Mbarara, the largest city in the Western Region of Uganda. Location The hospital is located in the neighborhood of Nyamityobora, in Kakoba Division, approximately , by ...

, located in Nyamityobora

Infrastructure

Mbarara is the home of

Mbarara University of Science & Technology Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST), commonly known as Mbarara University, is a public university in Uganda. Mbarara University commenced student intake and instruction in 1989. It is one of the ten public universities and degree ...

(MUST), founded in 1989. With significance for all Ugandan cities, Mbarara was the host to the 2004 Annual General Meeting of the

Uganda Local Governments Association The Uganda Local Governments’ Association (ULGA) is the National Association of Local Governments of Uganda. It is a private, voluntary and non-profit body. History ULGA was established as Uganda Local Authorities Association (ULAA) in 1994. ...

on 1 October, which saw the changing of the organisation to its current structure in order to represent all Ugandan local governments. Mbarara remains an active member of this governmental association.

Water supply

Due to a rapidly expanding population, the current water supply from nearby River Rwizi is insufficient to meet the future needs of Mbarara City. The Ugandan government has borrowed €120 million to source water from the

Kagera River The Kagera River, also known as Akagera River, or Alexandra Nile, is an East African river, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G ...

purify it and pump it to Mbarara,

and

Isingiro District Isingiro District is a district in the Western Region of Uganda. The town of Isingiro is the district's main municipal, administrative, and commercial center. Location Isingiro District is bordered by Kiruhura District to the north, Rakai Distr ...

Mbarara Bypass Road

As part of the modernisation of the Mbarara-Katuna Road (2011 - 2015), a new northern bypass road is planned for the town. The bypass will start from the

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...

Plant on Mbarara-Masaka Road at

Makenke Makenke is a neighborhood within Mbarara City, in the Western Region of Uganda. Location Makenke is located in Kakiika Parish, in Kakiika sub-county, approximately , by road, north-east of Mbarara city's central business district, along the ...

, pass through Rwebishuri and Nkokonjeru and join the Mbarara-Kabale Road at Katatumba Resort, about southwest of the central business district. The bypass is expected to decongest the city centre by taking the long-distance trucks destined for and coming from

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...

, and the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

off of Mbarara's city streets. The road is expected to cost about €170 million (US$210 million), of which the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...

is expected to lend about €122 million (US$153 million) with the

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...

funding the balance from its own resources.

Points of interest

The following additional points of interest lie within the city limits or close to its edges:

Administration

* Offices of Mbarara City Council

Industry

* Nile Breweries Mbarara - A subsidiary of

Anheuser-Busch InBev Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV, commonly known as AB InBev, is an American-Belgian multinational drink and brewing company based in Leuven, Belgium. AB InBev has a global functional management office in New York City, and regional headquarters ...

*Century Bottling Company Limited, Mbarara - Manufacturer and distributor of Coca-Cola products * * Mbarara Steel Plant - Owned and operated by the China Machine Building International Corporation (CMIC), a

Chinese Government The Government of the People's Republic of China () is an authoritarian political system in the People's Republic of China under the exclusive political leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It consists of legislative, executive, mili ...

parastal company * Roofings Uganda limited.

Social services

Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital, commonly known as Mbarara Hospital, is a hospital in Mbarara in the Western Region of Uganda. It is the referral hospital for the region and specifically for the districts of Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Kiru ...

: A 600-bed,

public hospital A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is fully funded by the government and operates solely off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In some countries, this typ ...

, administered by the

Uganda Ministry of Health The Ministry of Health is a cabinet-level government ministry of Uganda. It is responsible for planning, delivering, and maintaining an efficient and effective healthcare delivery system, including preventive, curative, and rehabilitative service ...

. The teaching hospital of

Mbarara University School of Medicine Mbarara University School of Medicine (MUSM), also known as Mbarara University Medical School (MUMS) is the school of medicine of Mbarara University of Science and Technology, one of Uganda's public universities. The medical school was founded in ...

* Mbarara Community Hospital: A private hospital that serves the community without regard to ability to pay. * Mayanja Memorial Hospital: A private 100-bed hospital *

Holy Innocents Children's Hospital Holy Innocents Children's Hospital (HICH), is a pediatric general hospital in the Western Region of Uganda. Founded in 2009, it is the second entirely pediatric hospital in the country, the other being CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda (CCHU), ...

: A private 100-bed general

pediatric Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

hospital, administered by the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara (''Archidioecesis Mbararaensis'') in Uganda covers an area of 10,980 km² in southwestern Uganda. As of 2003, of the 2.2 million citizens in the area 856,168 are members of the Catholic Church. The ar ...

Ruharo Mission Hospital Ruharo Mission Hospital is a community hospital in Uganda. It is affiliated with the Anglican Church of Uganda. Location The hospital is located in the neighborhood called ''Ruharo'', in ''Kamukuzi Division'' of the city of Mbarara, in Mbar ...

: An Anglican-based 100 bed hospital located at Ruharo Cathedral, about , west od downtown, along the

Mbarara–Ishaka Road Mbarara–Ishaka Road is a road in the Western Region of Uganda, connecting the towns of Mbarara in Mbarara District with Ishaka in Bushenyi District. Location The road starts in Mbarara, the largest city in Western Uganda, extending westwards ...

Education

Mbarara University of Science and Technology Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST), commonly known as Mbarara University, is a public university in Uganda. Mbarara University commenced student intake and instruction in 1989. It is one of the ten public universities and degree ...

- one of the nine public universities in Uganda * Uganda Bible Institute * The Mbarara Campus of

Uganda Martyrs University Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) is a private University affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church in Uganda. The University is owned by the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Uganda. It is licensed by the Uganda National Council for ...

* The Western Campus of

Uganda Management Institute Uganda Management Institute (UMI) is a government-owned national center for training, research, and consultancy in the field of management and administration in Uganda. It is one of the nine public universities and degree-awarding institutions in ...

Bishop Stuart University Bishop Stuart University (BSU) is a private, not-for-profit, multi-campus university in Uganda. Location BSU has its main campus, measuring approximately , at ''Kakoba Hill'', off of Buremba Road, approximately east of downtown Mbarara. The ...

- a private Christian University, affiliated with the

Church of Uganda The Church of Uganda is a member province of the Anglican Communion. Currently there are 37 dioceses which make up the Church of Uganda, each headed by a bishop. Each diocese is divided into archdeaconries, each headed by a senior priest known a ...

located in Kakoba division (Makerere University, Kikara campus) *

Ntare School Ntare School is a residential all-boys' secondary school located in Mbarara, Mbarara District, south western Uganda. It was founded in 1956 by a Scottish educator named William Crichton. Location The school is approximately , by road, north o ...

- a boys-only boarding middle and high school *

Mbarara High School Mbarara High School (MHS), is a boys-only boarding middle and high school located in the city of Mbarara, in Mbarara District in Western Uganda. Location The school is located in the Western Ugandan city of Mbarara, approximately , by road, sou ...

- an Anglican-Church of Uganda-based residential boys-only middle and high school located at Ruharo Cathedral and is a government-aided school * Maryhill High School- a girls-only boarding middle and high school founded by the Daughters of Mary and government aided

Transport

* Mbarara Airport - A public airport, located about , by road northwest of town, along Mbarara-Ibanda highway. *

Mbarara Northern Bypass Road The Mbarara Northern Bypass Road is a road that bypasses the northern part of Mbarara City. Location The road is located in Mbarara City, in the Western Region of Uganda. It starts from Makenke in Kakiika Division, across from the Coca-Cola pla ...

- A bypass road, circling the northern half of the city. Constructed between March 2015 and June 2018.

References

External links

Mbarara University HomepageBritannica Online Article About MbararaNile Breweries Raises Tetchy Land Question Over Mbarara ProjectAgandi Portal
A city web portal for Mbarara
Mbarara News websiteDowntown MbararaThe Ankole Times
{{coord, 00, 36, 48, S, 30, 39, 30, E, region:UG_type:city, display=title Mbarara District Populated places in Western Region, Uganda Cities in the Great Rift Valley