This area of numerous hills and wetlands that later became known as Kampala was the site of the shifting capital of the Buganda Kingdom (each king, upon coronation, used to establish his capital on a different hill). Kampala originally referred to Mengo Hill, on whose the British had built a city over an old capital and hunting reserve of the Buganda Kingdom, from which several buildings still survive. In the Kiganda language spoken by the Buganda people, Kampala’s name was derived from the phrase kasozi k’ mpala, which translates to “hill of the impala”. Indeed, the area once had an immense impala population. Fort Lugard was built by the British East Africa Company as the initial headquarters of the Uganda Protectorate and developed as an important industrial and commercial center. Although the British had moved the capital to Entebbe, Kampala returned to be the capital when Uganda became an independent country in 1962. In 1922 Makerere Technical Institute was founded, being the first institution of higher education in East Africa.

Central Africa
Kampala
Art Makers (23)
Art Spaces (10)
Mentioned in this article
Artists in Kampala
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Kampala
Abushariaa Ahmed
Artist -
Kampala
Stacey Gillian Abe
Artist -
Kampala
Meron Afewerki
Artist -
Kampala
Matt Kayem
Artist -
Xenson Samson SSenkaaba
Artist -
Kampala
Sekubulwa Baptist
Artist -
Kampala
Henry “Mzili” Mujunga
Artist -
Kampala
Ronex Ahimbisibwe
Artist -
Otelu Kenneth
Artist -
Kaga
Ocom Adonias
Artist -
Magigye
Muwanga Ibrahim
Artist -
Ismael Kateregga
Artist -
Kisozi
Edison Mugalu
Artist -
Kampala
Daudi Karungi
Curator -
Paul Ndema
Artist -
Kampala
Badru Katumba
Photographer -
Andrew Tabz
Photographer -
Ian Mwesiga
Artist -
Kampala
Herbert Kalule
Artist -
Kampala
Bukenya Cedric
Artist -
Kampala
Sanaa Gateja
Artist -
Kampala
Doddridge Busingye
Artist -
Lukwago Saad
Artist
Art spaces in Kampala
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Kampala
Afriart Gallery on 7th
Art Gallery -
Kampala
Makerere Art Gallery
Art Gallery -
Kampala
Bayimba Cultural Foundation
Foundation -
Kampala
32° East Ugandan Arts Trust
Cultural Centre -
Kampala
Afriart Gallery
Art Gallery -
Kampala
Destreet Art Foundation
Foundation -
Kampala
Arts & Crafts Village
Cultural Centre -
Kampala
Nommo Gallery
Art Gallery -
Kampala
Ujuzi Art Gallery
Art Gallery -
Kampala
Umoja Art Gallery
Art Gallery