Busia

Busia District was originally part of Tororo District until Thursday, 20th March 1997, when Parliament passed the legislation creating six new Districts inclusive Busia to exist with effect from 1st July 1997. The district is located in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Uganda, North of Lake Victoria and west of the Republic of Kenya.

Busia is 196km from Kampala; the capital city of the Republic of Uganda. The District lies approximately between longitudes 3305’ East and 3401’ East, and latitude 0010’North and 0035’ North and it covers a total surface area of 743 sq. km. The Land area is 648.95 sq. Km while open water and swamps cover about 36.88 sq. Km and a total population of 360,200 with 175,500 males  and 184,700 Females.

The District is a one County District (Samia-Bugwe County) and has One Municipal Council (Busia Municipal Council), 14 Sub-counties, two Divisions (Eastern and Western), 63 parishes and 534 (509 Rural & 25 Urban) villages. It has three constituencies; Samia-Bugwe North, Samia-Bugwe South & Busia Municipality. The Population per Constituency stands as follows; 157,725_Samia Bugwe South, 140,557_Samia-Bugwe North and 61,918 _Busia Municipality. 

The languages spoken are; Lusamia-Lugwe, Ateso, Kiswahili and Luganda.

Some of the economic Activities carried out are mining natural resources and agriculture. Resources mined include  copper, cobalt and lime stone. The crops grown are beans, maize and millet.

For tourists in Busia District, one of the places to visit is  The Omutaabi tree which is believed to be more than 200 years old, which played host to the remains of Bishop Hannington for four days in Budimo village.

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