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KAMPALA - The Government has allocated shillings five billion to local governments for physical planning programmes.  

The money is in the form of a grant and will be used to among others regularise physical planning programmes in districts as the Government moves to promote organised settlements and land use, especially in urban areas.

Local government minister Raphael Magyezi says the money will be available in the 2024/2025 financial year and that there are efforts to gradually increase it as and when the Government gets more money.

He made the revelation on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, during the launch of the National Physical Development Plan (NPDP) at the President’s Office in Kampala.

The event was presided over by First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs Rebecca Kadaga and attended by over 10 ministers including lands minister Judith Nabakooba.    

“Local governments have an acute need for resources so they need support in terms of staffing, financial resources, logistics for planning and capacity building,” he said.

Amanda Aziidah Ngabirano, the Chairperson of the National Physical Planning Board, Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Rebecca Kadaga, the first deputy prime minister (L) lift a dummy plan of the National Physical Development Plan (NPDP) 2021-2040. Right is Dorcas Okalany, the permanent secretary of the land’s ministry among other officials. This was at the office of the President on April 17 during the launch of the NPDP. (All photos by Simon Peter Tumwine)

“So, with effect from next financial year, the Government will provide shilling five billion to begin with. We hope that in the successive years, this will grow so that we have support from local governments to implement the NPDP,” Magyezi said.  

With a rapid population growth of more than three per cent and an urban migration rate of 5.2 per cent, many urban centres including Kampala are struggling with a myriad of problems including rising slum dwellings and degradation of reserve areas such as wetlands as housing demand skyrockets.

Magyezi said the gesture by the Government is timely. 

“I want to thank the minister of lands and urban development (Nabakooba) together with the Minister of finance, planning and economic development for taking this bold and timely decision,” he said.

He hailed local government associations and the Local Government Finance Commission headed by former state minister for lands Isaac Musumba for negotiating for the grant.