AMBA’s intrepid Research and Insight Manager Will Dawes, reports from his recent trip to Kampala, on the strengths of the Ugandan city as a business hub
How do you get to Kampala? Is there a hub airport nearby, good road and rail connections?
The smoothest way to get to Kampala, whether travelling from inside or outside the continent of Africa, is by air.
Kampala’s main airport is located in the former capital city of Uganda, Entebbe, which is located 45 kilometres away. But leave plenty of time for the transfer: as with most capital cities in East Africa, the infrastructure has not kept up with the pace of population growth and so the road connecting the two cities is often full of traffic.
Is the city well-served by public transport and taxi services?
Public transport is not particularly developed in Kampala, but private hire cars are reliable and safe. I would suggest its best to ask your hotel for recommended drivers.
Could you recommend any business hotels in Kampala?
The Sheraton is the most famous in Kampala, located in the old colonial district on Nakasero hill. It is famous for its iconic art deco circular pool and terrace, which features regularly in the Oscar-winning film The Last King of Scotland, as a place of relaxation for the former Ugandan President, Idi Amin.
For a more cost-effective sense of colonial opulence is the Speke hotel, located opposite the Sheraton. It is a reasonable hotel but could do with some maintenance work to bring it back to its former life.
The Serena, again located on Nakasero hill, is probably the most exclusive hotel in Kampala, and regularly hosts heads of state, including Queen Elizabeth of the United Kingdom at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2007.
Each of these hotels has good conferencing facilities.
What accommodation options are there for those travelling on a shoestring?
I stayed at the Red Chilli Hideaway, which is located on the outskirts of the city. The rooms are functional, clean and well maintained. The hotel has a pool with lovely views looking out towards the countryside. The bar and restaurant are really well serviced and offers a relaxed and peaceful vibe to end your evening in Kampala. It won’t set you back much at all and provides a great base to explore the city.
Could you suggest any shared working venues for business visitors or coffee shops where they could catch up on paperwork?
Prunes will offer you a modern café experience. It’s generally frequented by expats so perhaps won’t provide a genuinely local experience, but if you are a coffee lover it’s really one of the best places for it in Kampala.
With which industries is Kampala associated?
Kampala contributes approximately 60% of Uganda’s Gross Domestic Product, meaning it’s the heart of Uganda’s economy.
Uganda’s economy has a strong weighting towards agriculture and food products, in particular exports linked to coffee, tea, fish and cotton. It also has a reasonably large resources base, with oil exploration in nearby Lake Albert and copper mining in several parts of the country. Companies servicing these industries tend to base themselves in the capital.
China has invested substantially in Uganda in recent years, which has often led to resources being traded in part-exchange for infrastructural development. This development has led to ever improving transport networks.
What interesting businesses and organisations are based in Kampala?
For some years, Kampala has been at the centre for international aid agencies in East Africa. Organisations such as the World Food Programme, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF are based in the city due to its history of being a safe and secure place to operate within the region, combined with the local poverty issues that need addressing.
Are there any major business events or conferences taking place over the coming year?
The World Health Summit Africa meeting is taking place in 2020, hosted by Kampala’s leading university, Makerere. It will draw on health stakeholders and decision-makers from across sectors to make major progress for global health. The conference will cover the health of African youth, advancing technology for health in Africa, global health security and non-communicable diseases.
Could you recommend a venue for a lunch meeting in Kampala?
I would recommend the 7 Hills Revolving Restaurant for its special views of the city and excellent service. Over the course of a couple hours, you complete the 360 degree adventure three times which, at sunset, provides a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
The menu, wine list, and service, complete with a very good piano player, make for a wonderful, and enjoyable experience.
And where would suggest holding a client dinner?
You’ve got to head to the Khyber Pass restaurant for its authentically delicious Indian food. This is by far the best Indian restaurant in Kampala with great ambiance and quality Indian food. The outdoor dining is perfect for great evenings with nice street view. The service is excellent, which means you can focus on enjoying the food and ambience with clients.
Located outside in a cosy garden along the busy Nile Avenue, friendly staff quickly make you forget the sound of the street and the noise from the nearby Rock Garden. The traditional chicken dishes like the tikka masala, korma and butter chicken are awesome. I visit Khyber Pass every time I visit Kampala.
Are there any challenging aspects or downsides to Kampala for business travellers that should be taken into account?
I think it’s always worth remembering that the traffic in Kampala gets very busy, especially around the traditional rush hours, so remember to leave plenty of time to get from place to place. Otherwise, it’s just about taking sensible precautions. Fundamentally, the people are incredibly friendly, warm and generous, and it’s a safe place to be.
Tell us a bit about the city’s unmissable attractions.
If you wanted to make a weekend of it after completing work engagements, I would recommend visiting the town of Jinja, located 80 kilometres away and a two-hour drive. Jinja is set on the shores of the vast Lake Victoria and is in fact known to be the source of the river Nile, which runs though Africa all the way up to Egypt and flows out onto the Mediterranean Sea.
In Jinja you can see architectural aspects of Uganda’s past, including some impressive Indian inspired architecture, and also relax on the banks of the Nile. I would recommend taking a sunrise boat trip out onto lake Victoria where you get the most stunning vista and can see some amazing wildlife.
For those of you who enjoy a bit of adventure, Jinja is famed for its white-water rafting, which provides is a truly exhilarating experience. After burning off all that energy I would recommend a trip to the Jinja Sailing Club for some delicious Nile Perch and a cold Nile Special beer.
Are there any local dishes that visitors should try?
Being situated in a country that incorporates so much water it would be amiss not to try the wide variety of delicious fish, some of which is exclusive to Lake Victoria and the river Nile. The best of these are Nile Perch and Tilapia.
What do you love about Kampala?
Kampala has a rhythm like no other city I’ve visited. It’s somehow both intense but incredibly relaxed. People are often financially poor, but rich in spirit and humanity. Ugandans are the friendliest people on earth.
Why would you recommend Kampala as a place to do business?
What people often don’t know about Uganda is that it has an abundance of resources and its climate is highly suitable to agriculture. It has a rich wealth of natural assets, demonstrated not least by China’s ongoing investments in the country. By East African standards it’s also incredibly safe and stable, meaning you can invest in the country with relative confidence for the long term.
