Kisekka Market in Kampala is where every mechanic goes for parts. Japanese surplus, new aftermarket, Taiwan copies, reconditioned units — if it fits a Toyota, Nissan, or Subaru, Kisekka has it.

But Kisekka can also be a money pit. Prices change daily. Quality varies wildly between shops. The "genuine" part from one stall lasts 2 years; the same-looking part from the next stall lasts 2 weeks. Without tracking what you buy and from whom, you lose USh 200,000–400,000 per month to overpayments, wrong parts, and poor quality.

The Three Rules of Smart Kisekka Shopping

Rule 1: Record every purchase. Part name, supplier name, phone number, price, which car it went on. After 3 months, you know exactly which stalls sell quality and which sell rubbish.

Rule 2: Track quality outcomes. That water pump from Stall 47 — did it last? If yes, go back to Stall 47 next time. If it failed in 3 months, never buy from them again. Without records, you keep gambling.

Rule 3: Compare prices over time. If you paid USh 80,000 for a Corolla alternator last month and someone quotes USh 120,000 today, you know to negotiate or walk away. Price memory fades — records do not.

Building Your Supplier Network

The best fundhis in Kampala do not wander around Kisekka for hours. They have 5–6 trusted contacts on speed dial. "Musoke, I need Premio front shocks. What do you have?" Parts delivered to the workshop in 30 minutes. No wasted time, no wrong parts.

Building that network takes 6 months of recording purchases and outcomes. After that, your parts sourcing is twice as fast and half the cost of walking around guessing.

The Markup Knowledge

When you know your exact parts cost, you can set proper prices. Most fundhis mark up parts 30–40% — but without knowing the exact cost, the markup is a guess. Sometimes you charge too little and lose money. Sometimes too much and lose the customer.

Mekavo tracks every part cost on every job. You see your real profit per job, per customer, per month. Free for Ugandan garages — build your Kisekka knowledge base from your phone.