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Urbanisation in post-independent Uganda: Should we be proud?

People carry out business in downtown Kampala in 2021. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA

What you need to know:

  • Fellow Ugandans, building well-planned neighbourhoods is not just a public duty but also has a direct benefit to all of us. Organised housing preserves value, enhances accessibility and promotes neighbourhood safety and beauty.

This year, we celebrated 62 years of self-rule. Coincidentally, October 31 was also World Cities Day, inaugurated in 2014 to honour the significance of cities in global development. 

Together, these occasions provide an ideal moment to reflect on our journey as a nation, particularly regarding our cities’ growth and commitment to sustainable development.

Unfortunately, a closer examination reveals a disheartening reality. Uganda’s post-independence cities lack the hallmarks of sustainable urbanisation—cleanliness, order, connectivity, access to greenspaces, and adherence to planning standards. Far from instilling patriotism and pride, our urban spaces expose widespread disregard for planned urbanisation. 

As citizens, our actions speak volumes; we litter streets, build without planning authorisation, encroach on road reserves, and have grabbed public green spaces for private developments. Such practices erode the beauty and functionality of our cities and contradict the stewardship our country deserves.

A staggering 50 percent of Uganda’s urban population, and over 60 percent of Kampala’s residents, now live in slums, yet we still show no concern. 

This predicament is further fuelled by elites who, despite their education and exposure, often flout planning regulations as a show of their power and connections, constructing unplanned housing that clutters our cities. 

Fellow Ugandans, building well-planned neighbourhoods is not just a public duty but also has a direct benefit to all of us. Organised housing preserves value, enhances accessibility and promotes neighbourhood safety and beauty.

Amidst all this, city planners and local authorities bear significant responsibility. To start with, why are unplanned developments allowed to proliferate in urban neighbourhoods across Uganda, with land subdivided into tiny plots, including 30ftX50ft in total disregard of the law?

In places like Kisasi, Ntinda, Kireka, buildings are poorly aligned, with uncoordinated building lines, creating haphazard streets. It is sad that developers have been left to flout such simple guidelines.

Government projects, too, often ignore basic planning principles. The renovation of Namboole Stadium, for instance, resulted into blocking of roads, walking paths, and open spaces. 

This has disrupted connectivity, caused heavy traffic and led to diminished public spaces. Such oversights compromise the community’s wellbeing and the area’s aesthetic appeal, hindering Kampala’s development as a modern, and functional city. 

By contrast, pre-independence governments prioritised street alignment and neighbourhood planning, hence beautiful towns like Mbale and Jinja, whose central business districts remain organised to this day. Shouldn’t our modern planners be striving for the same?

Sadly, the lack of effective governance in urban planning is pervasive. Most urban authorities lack both the capacity and commitment to develop and implement strategies that could improve waste management, public transport, housing access, and green space development. Without decisive change, our cities in 2050 will likely reflect today’s neglect and urban sprawl.

As we celebrate cities, let’s resolve to embrace sustainable urban development practices. We must adhere to building codes, dispose-off waste responsibly, protect conservation areas, and create laws that foster clean, green, and organised cities. Only then can we honour our independence and build cities worthy of Uganda’s legacy. 

Edwin Wabomba, Urban specialist, real estate investment advisor, and advocate for sustainable cities. [email protected]