Mubende


Mubende is a town in the Central Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Mubende District and is the location of the district headquarters.

Location

Mubende is approximately, by road, west of Kampala, the capital of Uganda and its largest city. The coordinates of the town are 0°33'27.0"N, 31°23'42.0"E.

Overview

Mubende is home to the Nakayima Shrine, said to hold the spirit of Ndahura, a former Bacwezi king. The site, located about outside of the town's central business district, is marked by the Nakayima tree. Large root buttresses, which form nooks and fissures, lie at the base of the tree.
The shrine is located on top of Mubende Hill, rising above the surrounding terrain to a peak of above sea level. The hill has a flat top where an ancient palace once stood. The shrine is visited by people paying homage to the matriarch Nakayima of the Bachwezi, believed to be semi-gods, whose dynasty ruled this region in the period prior to 1,300 AD.

Population

The 2002 national census estimated the population of Mubende to be 16,000. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated the population at 21,400. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 22,200. In 2014, the national population census put the population at 46,921.

Points of interest

The following points of interest lie within the town limits or near its edges: