The iron sheet house is over 110 years and looks unique, probably the oldest house in that area, and in Uganda. It was built with heavy, old fashioned, 24-gauge corrugated iron sheets, (26 inches width by 108 inches length) and fixed with cap nails
Oud - the biggest house in the village then built with stones and locally made cement. In those days, houses at Seh al Afiya were built with thick mud walls with doors and roofs made of date palm wood and timber. The ruins of this old house can still be seen in the heart of the Seh al Afiya.
There also was a Quranic school and some
Old-fashioned construction
The iron sheet house is over 110 years and looks unique, probably the oldest house in that area, and in Uganda. It was built with heavy, old fashioned, 24-gauge corrugated iron sheets, (26 inches width by 108 inches length) and fixed with cap nails. The timber used was extracted from the milicia axcelsa tree, locally known as Mvule.
The old fashioned structural techniques used makes this house unique and a landmark in the area. It is old fashioned, yet eye catching. And activities around this area are endless, with Omanis constantly socialising over Arabic coffee. A coconut tree in the courtyard is probably the tallest and oldest surviving tree in the area, grown before the 1950s.
The house has a verandah and two big guest bedrooms for visitors. Public toilets were at the back of the courtyard. There are stories that some guests used to arrive after midnight and always find food and a place to sleep, and could stay for as long as they wished. While the verandah had multiple uses, including hosting meetings and celebrations, the guests cold keep their belongings safely in the guest rooms.
Omanis in Uganda were well known for keeping up and maintaining their customs and culture, be it hospitality or cultural traditions. They felt responsible for each other and for the up-bringing of their children with a collective spirit. The Omanis in Uganda became well known among the locals who picked up some useful traditions and maintained them, and vice versa.
During Eid celebrations, many Omanis and the locals used to come with their families and celebrate together with sweet mashed rice and meat, locally known as 'bokoboko'. This trend is still maintained.