Tororo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tororo
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Storm in Tororo
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 Tororo
Location in Uganda
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| Country |  Uganda |
| Region | Eastern Region of Uganda |
| District | Tororo District |
| Elevation | 4,193 ft (1,278 m) |
| Population
(2014 Census)
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| • Total | 41,906 |
Tororo is a town in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is an important center for government, business, and trade in the Tororo District.
Contents
Tororo's Past: A Brief History
Tororo has seen some important events in its history. In the late 1970s, during the Uganda–Tanzania War, the town was a site of fighting. Soldiers from the Uganda Army were stationed there.
- In March 1979, rebel groups attacked Tororo. Some soldiers joined the rebels, while others were defeated.
- The Uganda Army quickly took back the town a few days later. Many people living there had to leave their homes because of the fighting.
- Later that same month, the soldiers in Tororo rebelled again.
- By late April 1979, soldiers from Tanzania arrived and found the town mostly empty and looted.
In 1986, during the Ugandan Bush War, another group called the National Resistance Army took control of Tororo. The Uganda National Liberation Army tried to get it back but failed.
Where is Tororo?
Tororo is located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Malaba, which is a town right on the border between Uganda and Kenya. It is also about 209 kilometers (130 miles) east of Kampala, which is Uganda's capital city.
The town sits at an average height of 1,278 meters (4,193 feet) above sea level.
Tororo's Weather and Climate
Tororo has a tropical monsoon climate. This means it has a lot of rain for most of the year, with a short dry season. The average temperature is around 22.4°C (72.3°F).
Tororo is known for having many thunderstorms. Some people even say it might be the place on Earth with the most thunder days! From September to December, it often rains in the late afternoon. The drier and hotter weather usually starts in December.
| Climate data for Tororo (1961–1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 30.6 (87.1) |
30.7 (87.3) |
30.3 (86.5) |
28.9 (84.0) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.9 (82.2) |
27.5 (81.5) |
28.0 (82.4) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.2 (84.6) |
28.8 (83.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.1 (84.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.8 (60.4) |
16.5 (61.7) |
16.8 (62.2) |
17.1 (62.8) |
16.7 (62.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
15.8 (60.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.0 (60.8) |
16.0 (60.8) |
15.6 (60.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 59.0 (2.32) |
77.0 (3.03) |
139.0 (5.47) |
223.0 (8.78) |
214.0 (8.43) |
110.0 (4.33) |
91.0 (3.58) |
114.0 (4.49) |
115.0 (4.53) |
134.0 (5.28) |
123.0 (4.84) |
74.0 (2.91) |
1,473 (57.99) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 5.8 | 8.0 | 11.4 | 15.8 | 17.2 | 10.9 | 9.2 | 10.9 | 10.8 | 13.5 | 12.5 | 7.2 | 133.2 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization | |||||||||||||
How Many People Live in Tororo?
The number of people living in Tororo has changed over the years.
- In 2002, a national count showed about 34,810 people lived in the town.
- By 2014, the population was 41,906.
- In 2020, it was estimated that about 48,500 people lived in Tororo.
- The town's population grew by about 2.5 percent each year between 2015 and 2020.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 2002 | 34,800 | — |
| 2010 | 42,500 | +22.1% |
| 2011 | 43,700 | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 41,906 | −4.1% |
| 2015 | 42,800 | +2.1% |
| 2020 | 48,500 | +13.3% |
| source: | ||
Tororo's Industries: What Does the Town Make?
Tororo is a very important place for making things in Uganda. It is especially known for producing cement.
- There are three cement factories in Tororo. This makes it the biggest producer of cement in Uganda.
- Tororo Cement Limited is the largest, making 3 million tons of cement every year. They also make other things like nails, iron sheets, and wire mesh.
- Hima Cement factory (owned by Lafarge) also has a factory here, producing different types of cement.
- National Cement Company Uganda Limited (Simba brand) opened in 2018. It produces 2,000 metric tons of cement daily.
Other important businesses in Tororo include:
- SEBA Foods: A food factory that opened in 2010.
- Electromaxx Limited: This company built a power plant called Tororo Power Station. It started working in 2010 and produces 20 megawatts of electricity.
- Nilefos Minerals Limited: This company mines and processes phosphates. Phosphates are used to make fertilizer and other related products.
Trains and Transport in Tororo
Tororo is a key spot for railway lines. It's where lines going to Pakwach (through Soroti) and to Kasese (through Kampala) meet.
- For many years, the train line from Tororo to Gulu and Pakwach was not used.
- In 2013, a company called Rift Valley Railways helped fix this line. They cleared plants and repaired tracks and bridges.
- This allowed trains to run again from the Kenyan port of Mombasa, through Nairobi and Eldoret, to Tororo, and then on to Gulu. This was the first commercial train on this route in 20 years!
Fun Things to See and Do in Tororo
Tororo has several interesting places to visit or learn about:
- Tororo Rock: This is a huge rock that stands tall over the town. It's a popular place for hiking, and it takes about an hour to reach the top. There used to be a cable car, but it's no longer in use. You can hire a tour guide at the bottom of the rock.
- Golf Course: There's a golf course in town with a clubhouse and a swimming pool.
- Tororo Central Market: The old market was taken down in 2017 to build a new indoor shopping center. A new market has started nearby in Water Village.
- Tororo General Hospital: This is a large public hospital with 200 beds.
- Uganda Martyrs' Cathedral: This is an important church for the Roman Catholic faith in Tororo.
- St. Anthony's Hospital (Uganda): Another hospital in town, with 150 beds.
- Christ the King Priory: This is a monastery for Benedictine monks.
- Tororo–Mbale–Soroti Road: A major road that starts here and goes northwest for 158 kilometers (98 miles) to Soroti.
- Tororo Airport: A public airport that serves the town.
- Tororo Solar Power Station: A power plant that uses energy from the sun.
- Busitema University: One of Uganda's public universities, located about 28 kilometers (17 miles) southwest of Tororo town.
- PostBank Uganda: A bank with a branch in Tororo.
- National Social Security Fund: An office for social security services.
Images for kids
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Tororo Rock Photo
