Mbarara
Encyclopedia
Mbarara is a town in Western Uganda
Western Region, Uganda
Western Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...

. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Mbarara District
Mbarara District
Mbarara District is a district in Western Uganda. The district was named after its chief municipal centre, the city of Mbarara, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...

 and the location of the district headquarters. It is also the largest urban centre in Western Uganda.

Location

Mbarara is located about 290 kilometres (180.2 mi), by road, southwest of Kampala
Kampala
Kampala 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
Uganda
Uganda , 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...

's capital and largest city. Mbarara is an important transport hub, lying west of Masaka
Masaka
Masaka is a town in Central Uganda, lying west of Lake Victoria. It is the chief town of Masaka District. Besides being the headquarters of Masaka District, the town is the regional headquarters and largest metropolitan area in Lyantonde District, Sembabule District, Lwengo District, Bukomansimbi...

 on the road to Kabale
Kabale
Kabale is a city in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kabale District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...

, near Lake Mburo National Park
Lake Mburo National Park
-Location:Lake Mburo National Park is located in Kiruhura District in western Uganda. The park is situated about , by road, east of Mbarara, the largest city in the sub-region. This location is approximately , by road, west of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...

. The coordinates of Mbarara city center are:00 36 48S, 30 39 30E (Latitude:-0.6132; Longitude:30.6582).

Overview

The name 'Mbarara' has its roots in the English Colonialist's mispronunciation of the word 'Mburara'a certain type of grass; a favorite for the cows. Mbarara was formerly the capital for the southern region.

Mbarara is mainly divided in three divisions which are Kamukuzi, Nyamitanga and Kakoba. It is further sub-divided into six sub-divisions including Ruharo, Nyamitanga, Nyamityobora, Kamukuzi, Kakoba and Lutti.

Mbarara has a number of streets which include Mbarara High Street (named after one of the town's most prominent secondary schools, Mbaguta Street (named after a former prime minister of Ankole), Bishop Willis Street (named after Bishop Willis, one of the first whites to visit Ankole and Mbarara), Garage Street, Markhan Singh Street, Bulemba Road and Bucuku Street.

Human activity

The city of Mbarara has the largest number of of milk processing plants in Uganda. The majority of milk processed is transported to Kampala
Kampala
Kampala 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...

 and other major cities in Uganda.

Mbarara is the home of Mbarara University of Science & Technology
Mbarara University of Science & Technology
Mbarara University of Science & Technology is a public university in Uganda. MUST is the second of the five public universities founded by the Government of Uganda. The other Ugandan public universities are Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Gulu University and Busitema University...

 (MUST), founded in 1989. There were many educational institutions well before then, including Bishop Stewart Teacher Training College now known as Bishop Stuart University
Bishop Stuart University
Bishop Stuart University 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. This location is approximately , by road, southwest of Kampala,...

 which is located on Kakoba Hill, southeast of downtown. Other institutions of learning in the town include Maryhill High School, an all-girl school. Mbarara High School
Mbarara High School
Mbarara High School , is a boys-only boarding middle and high school located in the city of Mbarara, in Mbarara District in Western Uganda.-Location:...

 (MHS) and Ntare School
Ntare School
Ntare School is a residential boys' secondary school located in Mbarara, Mbarara District, western Uganda. It was founded in 1956 by a Scottish educator named William Crichton....

 are both all-boys schools. Built during the colonial days, these three schools were state boarding schools whose graduates go on to make major contributions to today's Uganda. Alumni of these schools include President Museveni (Ntare), Mzee Boniface Byanyima (MHS), Sam Kutesa
Sam Kutesa
Sam Kahamba Kutesa is a Ugandan lawyer and politician. He is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Ugandan Cabinet, a position he has held since 13 January 2005. He is also the elected Member of Parliament for "Mawogola County", Sembabule District...

, Minister of Foreign Affairs (MHS), and the academic Sam Nahamya PhD (MHS). Winnie Byanyima
Winnie Byanyima
Winifred "Winnie" Byanyima is a Ugandan aeronautical engineer, politician and diplomat. She has served as the Director of the Gender Team, in the Bureau for Development Policy at the United Nations Development Programme , since 2006....

, the current Director of Gender Issues at the UNDP headquarters in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 is a native of Mbarara. She had her early education in area schools. She represented the town in the Ugandan Parliament from 1994 until 2004.

Population

In 2002, the national census estimated the population at 69,363. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the population of Mbarara at 82,000 in 2010. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population of the town at 83,700.

Landmarks

The landmarks within the city limits or close to its edges include:
  • The headquarters of Mbarara District Administration
    Mbarara District
    Mbarara District is a district in Western Uganda. The district was named after its chief municipal centre, the city of Mbarara, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...

  • The offices of Mbarara Municipal Council
  • Mbarara Central Market
  • The headquarters of the 2nd Division of the Uganda People's Defense Force
  • Mbarara National Referral Hospital
    Mbarara Hospital
    Mbarara National Referral Hospital, commonly known as Mbarara Hospital is a hospital in Mbarara, Western Uganda. It is the referral hospital for the entire country and specifically for the districts of Mbarara, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Kiruhura, Ibanda and Isingiro...

     - A 600 bed public hospital, administered by the Uganda Ministry of Health
    Uganda Ministry of Health
    The Uganda Health Ministry, commonly known as the Uganda Ministry of Health, is a government department in Uganda. The ministry is headed by three cabinet members; one Minister of Health and two State Ministers of Health.-Location:...

  • 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
    Holy Innocents Children's Hospital , is a pediatric general hospital in the Western Region in Uganda. Founded in 2009, it is the second pediatric hospital in the country, the other being CURE Children's Hospital of Uganda , located in Mbale, in Eastern Uganda, which was founded in...

     (HICH) - A private 100 bed general pediatric hospital, administered by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara
  • Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) - One of the five (5) public universities in Uganda
  • Uganda Bible Institute.
  • Uganda Martyrs Primary School
  • The Mbarara Campus of Uganda Martyrs University
    Uganda Martyrs University
    -Location:The main campus of UMU is in Nkozi, a small town, approximately , by road, west of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda, on the Kampala-Masaka Highway...

    .
  • The Western Campus of Uganda Management Institute
    Uganda Management Institute
    Uganda Management Institute is a government- owned national center for training, research and consultancy in the field of management and administration in Uganda.-Location:...

    .
  • Bishop Stuart University
    Bishop Stuart University
    Bishop Stuart University 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. This location is approximately , by road, southwest of Kampala,...

     - A private Christian University, affiliated with the Church of Uganda
    Church of Uganda
    The Church of the Province of Uganda is a member church of the Anglican Communion. Currently there are 34 dioceses which make up the Church of Uganda, each headed by a bishop....

  • Mbarara Airport
    Mbarara Airport
    Mbarara Airport is an airport in Uganda. It is one of the forty-six airports in the country.-Location:Mbarara Airport is located in the town of Mbarara, Ankole sub-region, Western Uganda. The airport is located approximately , by road, northwest of the central business district of the town, on...

     - A public airport, located about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi), by road northwest of town
  • A branch of Bank of Africa
    Bank of Africa (Uganda)
    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,...

  • A branch of Bank of Baroda
    Bank of Baroda (Uganda)
    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...

  • A branch of Barclays Bank
  • A branch of Centenary Bank
    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...

  • A branch of Crane Bank
    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...

  • A branch of DFCU Bank
    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...

  • A branch of Equity Bank
    Equity Bank (Uganda)
    -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...

  • A branch of Fina Bank
    Fina Bank (Uganda)
    -Overview:As of February 2009, the bank is a small, fast-growing banking institution, providing commercial banking services to individuals and small to medium sized corporate clients. The bank is a member of the Fina Bank Group, which includes Fina Bank and Fina Bank ...

  • A branch of Housing Finance Bank
    Housing Finance Bank
    Housing Finance Bank is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...

  • A branch of Kenya Commercial Bank
  • A branch of PostBank Uganda
    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:...

  • A branch of Stanbic Bank
    Stanbic Bank (Uganda) Limited
    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:...

  • A branch of Standard Chartered Bank
    Standard Chartered Bank (Uganda)
    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:...

  • A branch of United Bank for Africa
    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...

  • A branch of Opportunity Uganda Limited
    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
    Banking in Uganda
    -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...

  • A branch of Pride Microfinance Limited
    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
    Banking in Uganda
    -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...

  • A branch of Uganda Finance Trust Limited
    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
    Banking in Uganda
    -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...

  • A branch of the National Social Security Fund
    National Social Security Fund (Uganda)
    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...


External links

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