“A bed and home are a safe space for your mental health, if it is not right, all other fields suffer.” Said Sserwadda Gershom, a fifth-year medical student at Islamic university in Uganda, Kampala Campus.

Islamic university in Uganda, Kampala Campus provides accommodation to only the medical students and foreign students. The other students are left to look for accommodation elsewhere. Many of the students lament about how complicated and hectic the process is.

According to Nakabugo Susan, a second-year law student at Islamic University in Uganda, Kampala campus, looking for a house in Kibuli was really difficult and she was scammed by many brokers who took her to very bad houses that were not up to her liking and yet they asked for payment without results.

“Upon calling my cousin, she told me about two hostels whereby I tried one, the hygiene was not good, I lost hope. I finally checked out my final option which was ‘Salama hostels’, it was much better and I relocated here.” Explained Nakabugo.

This is a video showing Salama hostels, where Nakabugo currently resides.

Nakabugo further advised that one should not go for brokers right away but rather talk to classmates or fellow students in order to get standard or good houses.

Batwala Rahim, a third-year law student at Islamic university in Uganda, Kampala campus, explained that looking for a house in Kibuli was really complicated and tiring.

“The broker I got asked me for shs.50,000 to take me around Kibuli on a really hot day. To add salt onto the wound, all the houses he was showing me were expensive and really not looking worthy the money. I finally got a house before and it was not as good as I needed, but for the moment I had no option, until I relocated to Salama.” Said Rahim.

Rahim advised that one can get better and cheaper houses in Nsambya if the individual is willing to foot the transport fees, however one who wills to reside in Kibuli, he should talk to the people at the printing stations because they usually have information about the available houses for rent or people looking for roommates.

Audio by Nafula Ashley, second year law student at Islamic university in Uganda

However, the students that reside in the availed hostels are not in a bed of roses, despite the fact that the university provides this accommodation.

According to Sserwadda Gershom, the hostels are really congested since they are many and they too suffer the same issues of the distance from school, difficulty when it rains and other issues just like the other students who do not reside in hostels.

“Our residentials are really congested, communication with the foreign students some times gets hard since we are different in terms of background. The boys also need better facilitation just like the ladies get.” Explained Sserwadda.

According to the academic registrar Islamic university in Uganda, Kampala campus Sumale Muhammad, the school was able to provide accommodation to medical students because of their numbers and also foreign students since they are far from home, hence they are the only ones charged accommodation fees.

“The institution was able to fund these students but as the school grows, we are putting other students in consideration.” Explained Sumale.

Map showing hostels in Kibuli

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=1zl5losHmCnx1Jwl7nq6KAfAfOYF_qZo&usp=sharing

Many students are affected by the issue of poor living facilities especially in Kibuli where houses are expensive and yet they don’t live up to the prices. The students advised to talk to one another in order not to be scammed by the brokers who only want money without even getting a house.

Some of the available and hostels in Kibuli are;

• Salama hostels
• St Micheal apartments