Bukoba

Bukoba is a city with a population of 144,938 (2022 census), situated in the northwest of Tanzania on the south-western shores of Lake Victoria. It is the capital of the Kagera region, and the administrative seat for Bukoba Urban District.

The city is served by Bukoba Airport and regular ferry connections to and from Mwanza, as well as roads to Uganda's Rakai District for cross-border commuters. Plans are underway for a standard gauge railway to Uganda.

Bukoba City
Situated on the south-western shores of Lake Victoria, Bukoba lies only 1 degree south of the Equator.

Bukoba is situated on the south-western shores of Lake Victoria in the north-western region of Tanzania. The regional capital and Kagera's biggest town is the gateway to the region.

It boasts a white sandy beach, a large market, a port tennis courts and a swimming pool. It has 13 banks, 5 of which take VISA cards in the ATM.

Bukoba Town itself has the status of a municipal Council. It has a municipal Director and other local government officials like other district councils in the region.

Ports
Bukoba is currently Tanzania's second largest port on Lake Victoria after Mwanza.

Utility
Bukoba is served by the National Electric Utility Company TANESCO.

Economy
Kagera's Regional Commissioner resides and has his head office in The Bukoba Central Business District.

Bukoba is the leading district in Tanzania with a high percentage of people with middle-class incomes. The percentage of people living under the poverty line is the lowest in the country. Bukoba has a new mall named Bakwata Complex that will start operation in September 2024.

The city is flat, compact, and surrounded by hills. The town has a bus stand, an airport, and a port. A ferry used to travel from Bukoba via Kemondo Bay Port to Mwanza on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, and soon a newly built ship, the second largest lake ship in Africa, will make ferry voyages to Bukoba daily.

Bukoba Airport
The Airport is located south east of the city. The address on Sokoine Road.

Auric Air flies three times a day to Mwanza. In 2010 the airport was extended as more flights were expected in line with capacity growth milestones of The Air Terminal reviewed after published reports every quarter of the year. Air Tanzania (ATCL) also have scheduled flights to Bukoba throughout the week with connecting flights through Mwanza to Dar es Salaam.

Bus
A bus leaves for Kampala at 7 am every day (about 6 hours) and from Kampala for Bukoba at 11 am every day.

Sports
Bukoba is represented in the Tanzanian Premier League by football club Kagera Sugar. It is the home to several charities - including SHARE in Africa and Jambo Bukoba. Both are focused on the educational sector.

The Kaitaba Stadium is also found in south east of Bukoba on Jamhuri Road. The stadium has the capacity of 15000 people and supports football games day and night.

Climate
Bukoba has an upland tropical monsoon climate (Köppen Amb, because every month has a normal mean temperature of between 18 °C and 22 °C) although it is milder than most climates with that classification due to its altitude. It can sometimes get cool especially in the evenings during the two rainy seasons, but never as cold as the winter season in Europe.

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