Kiruddu hospital giving Salaama Road facelift

Development and roads
The road has an even population with more people settling along the main road because most of them are engaged in businesses, a registered success in the area.
“There are other tarmacked roads leading to Luwafu, Lukuli and after Munyonyo, the southern bypass. The rest of the roads such as Lwasa Road are feeder roads and are only repaired during campaign times,” says James Lukyamuzi, a resident of Kitawuluzi village on Salaama Road.

Population
The population of the area is not known. According to Lukyamuzi, some people work at Salaama Road during day but reside somewhere else. “Others rent houses here while they commute to Kiruddu Hospital to treat their loved ones and once they are discharged, they move back to their usual residences,” he says.

Businesses
The most common businesses on Salaama Road are the retail shops, schools, kiosks, boutiques, fuel stations, bars and restaurants as well as supermarkets with the most noticeable being Ebenezer Supermarket. There is also the selling of building materials including murram and building stones.

Security and crime
The area boasts of good security with almost every village having a police station. This has contributed to peace and security along the road. Lukyamuzi says they only have a few cases of domestic violence and petty thefts.

Health and sanitation
Salaama Road has several privately owned clinics, a medical laboratory (R4B) and Princess Diana hospital Mulago Referral Hospital (Kiruddu) which offers free medical services to the people in the area.
There is regular collection of garbage according to Nassolo as trucks from Kampala Capital City Authority often pick the rubbish but despite this effort, residents do not know how to handle rubbish very well because in some areas, many sacks of rubbish are dumped alongside roads and garbage scattered.
“KCCA, she says, has done several operations including the recent poisoning of stray dogs but some people have not embraced general cleanliness around their homes.”

Rent and accommodation
Salaama is a bit crowded. It is, therefore, hard to find free space to buy or someone selling their land. One would sell his land only when facing financial constraints such as a bank loan.
Even then, they will sell either part of his compound or a few decimals. It is very expensive to buy a plot of land here. The price is also determined by the size of the plot or house, whether the land is leased or the person has a title for it.
The price of land along Salaama Road ranges from Shs15m but where there is easy access to the road, it can go up to Shs500m for a 50x100ft plot of land. A single rental room costs Shs150,000 while a double room goes for between Shs350,000 and Shs500,000. This however, also depends on the location and physical appearance of the house.
The fenced houses along the main road are usually more expensive compared to those further from the main road.

Challenges
The lower part of the road is said to get flooded when there is too much rain because of the terrain. The area above the road is more raised than the lower part.
It is no doubt that the presence of Kiruddu Hospital has accelerated the growth of Salaama Road. Many people now want to settle here if only to take advantage of the many business opportunities.

Accessing Salaama road
From Kisenyi Park in downtown Kampala, going to Salaama will cost you Shs1,500 using a taxi while a bodaboda will take you for Shs5,000.
At the Kibuye roundabout, the second left turn off Entebbe road takes you to Salaama Road which goes through the villages of Makindye, Luwafu, Lulekaana, Kyamula, Kiwenyu, Mulamula, Takajunge, Kiruddu, Buziga and others.

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