KCCA to turn Kampala into comfortable,enjoyable city
Apr 30, 2014
When Kampala City Council Authority took over the reins of power, the city was in shambles. Corruption was the order of the day, city roads were riddled with potholes and street lights were not working.
By Juliet Waiswa
When Kampala City Council Authority took over the reins of power, the city was in shambles. Corruption was the order of the day, city roads were riddled with potholes and street lights were not working. The President gave KCCA the mandate to turn the city into a resilient, sustainable and organised one. The body’s first step in achieving this was coming up with a five-year strategic plan 2013 - 2017, in which KCCA laid out key strategic interventions necessary to transform Kampala.
Revenue generation
A key point in the strategic plan is automating revenue management. This process will include undertaking a comprehensive property valuation exercise to improve the authority’s properties, which in turn will increase the revenue it generates. Streamlining revenue management will also include the development of the body’s debt management system. The body also hopes to re-engineer and automate business licensing processes, improve land and development application processes. KCCA plans to mobilise funds to reconstruct Kitintale, Bukoto and Ggaba markets to increase revenue generated from them.
Nakawa market has been earmarked for redevelopment, while plans are underway to purchase land for the redevelopment of Kasubi market. KCCA is to scale up production at the Research Trial Centre in Kyanja and map out a supply chain for the centre’s produce. Plans are in the offing to set up a yard in Kyanja to produce concrete products that can be used to pave city to pave city roads. The other benefit of the yard is to train and create jobs for the youth. The deputy director production Dr. Esau Galukande says the yard centre was created to enable youth get jobs. He explained that KCCA has also operationalised the employment services bureau to re-skill and link the youth to employment opportunities.
Roads and transport
With funds from the central government, KCCA plans to reconstruct and upgrade 34.95km of roads. Furthermore, KCCA will reconstruct and upgrade an additional 92km of roads under the Kampala Institutional Infrastructural Development Project II (KIIDP II). Of these roads, 17.3km will be turned into dual carriageways, including Makerere Hill, Hoima Road from Bakuli to Kampala Northern Bypass, Old Port Bell Road and Nakawa-Ntinda Road. A total of 39.1km of roads will be reconstructed. These roads include Sir Apollo Kaggwa, Namuwongo, Ntinda- Kisaasi- Kyanja Road, Luwafu, Lukuli and Ssuna Road.
Thirty-six kilometres of roads will be upgraded from murram to tarmac and these include Kulambiro Ring, Namungoona, Kirombe Road, Kawaala, Kitebi-Bunamwaya , Waliggo and Kabega Road. KCCA also earmarked 31 junctions, which include Fairway on Yusuf Lule Road, Ndeeba, Bwaise, Kabalagala, and Kabuusu for reconstruction. Construction of two primary drainage channels Kinawataka and Nalukolongo) under the KIIDP II project will also commence. To improve the safety of pedestrians, KCCA in partnership with the central and Japanese governments, intend to construct flyovers at Jinja Road (Kitgum House) and Shoprite-Clock Tower junctions in 2016. To reduce traffic jam KCCA has finalised the designs for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system starting with a 25km pilot corridor covering Kireka, Bwaise and Zzana.
The Kampala BRT is designed to meet the transport needs of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, while ensuring a financially sustainable operation where commuters will be charged affordable fares. Working in partnership with the private sector, KCCA plans to scale up bus operations to promote public transport that can accommodate a high volume of public transport.
New measures to streamline boda bodas in the city are underway following the successful registration exercise. Another avenue that KCCA is seeking to improve public transport is the use of cable cars. So far feasibility studies for a pilot Cable Car System from Kawempe to the New Park and to Makindye, have been conducted between Namirembe Road to Luwum Street. Cable Car Systems are an innovative approach to the provision of efficient and affordable public transport. Among is its many advantages is the cable car’s ability to pass over barriers, the system can be installed easily, provides unique ride experiences to passengers and are reliable.
However, Merion Tibabinganya, a transport expert says, much as Kampala plans to adopt cable cars, developed countries have abandoned them in favour of electric trains. He emphasises it would be wiser for the city to go for large buses and railway transport instead. But he is quick to add that KCCA should involve traffic experts as the body plans for the city. He says there are a few expert planners in Uganda.
Health
To improve health services in the city, renovation of Kawaala and Kitebi Health Centres and the city mortuary will soon be completed.
On the other hand, Kawempe and Kirudu HCs are being turned into 170- bed hospitals. Construction commenced and works are expected to be completed by December 2015. Dr Daniel Okello the acting director Public Health and Environment KCCA revealed that when complete the health centres will reduce the congestion at the National Referral Hospital, Mulago.
Education
KCCA has 81 primary schools and plans to rehabilitate them to improve the quality of education they provide. Five of the schools will be upgraded to model ones over the next five years.
The schools will to act as centres of excellence in public education. In addition, two vocational institutes will be constructed. To improve nutrition in schools, KCCA will roll out a feeding programme in some institutions. The main objective of the school feeding programme is to produce food for the pupils and the surplus sold to generate income to upgrade 10 school sports facilities to international standards.
Environmental protection
This process has started with plans for the Lake front and the Nakivubo Channel catchment area to protect Lake Victoria from pollution and encroachment on wetlands surrounding the lake. To decongest the city, plans are underway to redevelop the Old Taxi Park into a multi-level parking facility. Redevelop Centenary Park, Jinja Road linear park and Jubilee Park below Sheraton and open them for controlled use by the public.
Locating places in Kampala is a nightmare
By Christopher Bendana
Joseph Mugisa, the acting director of Fire Prevention and Rescue Services, Uganda Police knows how difficult it is to work in a disorganised city. Many times when he receives emergency fire calls, his fear is not how big the inferno might be, but locating the fire scene. He is always directed to the house after the Mvule tree or after a particular bar. Many times he wastes time locating the fire scene. “It is a nightmare,” he explains.
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