Entebbe Travel Guide

Entebbe Overview, Uganda

Entebbe is one of the major cities in Uganda with a population of more than 90,000 people. It has been located on the shores of Lake Victoria nearby Kampala, the capital city. In the local language of Luganda, ‘Entebbe’ means ‘seat’ because the chief of Baganda sat in this place only for adjudicating the legal cases. It became a commercial and an administrative center for the British in 1893 when it was used as a base by the colonial Commissioner, Sir Gerald Portal. Port Bell became the harbor of Kampala, although ships no longer land here now.

Transportation: Entebbe International Airport started in 1947 is a major international airport in Uganda and it is best known among the Europeans. Although no ships land here at present, there is a jetty in the city used by the ferries of Lake Victoria. The road between Kampala and Entebbe is extremely good and it takes only about 40-45 minutes when there are no traffic jams. Taxis, matatus and mini buses are also available to go to Entebbe. Lake Victoria ferries are used for passenger and freight transporting between Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda on Lake Victoria. The major ports include Port Bell, Jinja, Bukoba, Entebe, Mwanza and Kisumu. At present, there are three ferries on Lake Victoria: MV Kaawa, MV Kabalega and MV Pamba.

Culture: Luganda or Ganda is the major language used in Uganda and is spoken by more than 10 million people including Entebbe and Kampala. However, English is the official language used in Uganda, Luganda remains the second language taught in schools all over Eastern Uganda. Due to recent developments, a large number of people have migrated to Entebbe from different parts of the world, as a result of which the city has become a mixture of different types of cultures, traditions, languages and customs.

UVRI: The city of Entebbe is also home to the UVRI (Uganda Virus Research Institute) established in 1936 with a different name. The institute’s mission is to conduct scientific researches regarding diseases, mainly viral diseases that affect public health and to suggest strategies to the government for their prevention and control. It has recently conducted an STD and HIV study covering all 44 villages in the rural district of Rakai.