Experts tasked Uganda’s City Planners to bring back the community into the urban planning process in Uganda to ensure inclusive and sustainable urban centres.
Speaking at a public dialogue under the theme “Urban Governance and Youth Participation in Uganda”, the panelists led by the guest speaker, Professor Savita Makara said a bottom-up approach to the administration of urban centres will give the poorest person an opportunity to contribute to the development of the country generally and urban centres in particular.
The dialogue was organised to create a platform for emerging issues in Urban development in Uganda and to provide a deeper understanding of strategies necessary for productive cities. It was organised by Makerere University, Department of Architecture and Physical Planning, in partnership with CIG Uganda.
Present at the event, was the Director, Physical Planning at Uganda’s Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Vincent Byandaimira, who acknowledged Uganda’s high rate of urbanization and inadequate planning, attributing this to the increased underdevelopment in urban centres.
He said his ministry is implementing a number of initiatives to address the urbanization challenge such as preparation of the National Physical Development plan, national spatial development framework and preparation of the National Urban Policy.
CIG Uganda is working with sector players including government agencies, municipal and urban leadership and development partners to identify and remove bottlenecks that are constraining growth in the JKE corridor. Some of the interventions include building the capacity of the municipal leadership to address capability gaps, improving connectivity in terms of mass movement and power and promoting integrated planning along the JKE corridor.