What is hindering Kampala's development? |MORNING AT NTV

Kampala is one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities, with an annual population growth rate of 5.6%. Consequently, the city faces significant pressure on its infrastructure and urban systems, with recent alarms raised about the administration of the city, financing, business survival, and development levels.

Today, we discuss the issues facing Kampala, with guests Ronald Balimwezo, Shadow Minister for Kampala; Ruth Kijambu, former Clerk; David Luyimbazi, former Deputy ED of KCCA; and Yusuf Sserunkuma, analyst.

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[magoloibrahim]

Dr Sserukuma should educate Eng Luyimbazi for some good period of time to awaken his sense of reasoning

[jamman]

This issue is not for Engneer’s only you should bring geologists and landscape architects.

[ronaldeastgate]

Government should start inviting investors in construction by demolishing old stylish buildings and construct new modern buildings or architectural towers that is the protocol Nairobi is following

[nyombif]

Imagine having such a person like Luyimbazi to be the capital city engineer with that reasoning, we borrow money and we end up not using them, if government can't show up it's existence in managing the city development

[apolokaggwa]

With all due respect Mr. Luyimbazi, I am quite sure that you are aware of cities much bigger and older than Kampala. How have they undertaken their "sustainable development" over many years if not centuries? Blaming the "citizens of Kampala" for the "degradation of the "wetlands" and the "drainage reserves" you have mentioned will not solve any of the city problems. I am disappointed that you have said nothing about the lack of GOOD GOVERNANCE of the municipality.

It should be obvious to the residents of Kampala that something is wrong since life in the city is not getting any easier. A fast-growing city such as Kampala can only compound the dire conditions you are talking about. The residents should be aware that no one is in charge of the city. You may have followed the testimony of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials recently, before the parliamentary COSASE following the Kiteezi "catastrophe." They have made it clear that there is absolutely no working relationship at all between the Executive Director (ED) of the KCCA and the Lord Mayor, even though both of them "work in the same building." So, what purpose does the ED and the KCCA of which he is the head serve in Kampala?

The difference between the two officials does not end there. The ED without any constituency at all in Kampala is a mere appointee, whilst the Lord Mayor and the City Council elected by the "citizens of Kampala" have had their powers usurped by the ED, acting on the orders of the dictator of Uganda. Since the office of the ED is not ACCOUNTABLE to anyone in Kampala, it can ignore the residents no matter what they have to say. The ED does not have to plan for the future of Kampala either, nor respond to resident concerns such as flooding when it rains, the deteriorating infrastructure particularly the streets, traffic congestion and so on simply because he does not have to. The "citizens of Kampala" cannot dismiss him at the ballot box as they would the Lord Mayor and the City Council.

These are the consequences of denying responsibility. What you get is irresponsibility. It is how Uganda has been governed since the beginning of dictatorship in 1966, when the legitimate 1962 Constitution of the UGANDA FEDERATION unanimously agreed at independence was abrogated. Since then, the devolved powers of the 15 local governments and the municipalities such as Kampala have been infringed, curtailed, abridged and usurped by the central government. Today, the government of Buganda at Mengo is the only functional local government in the whole country; the remaining 14 major jurisdictions without any at all having abdicated responsibility for themselves. They are now looking up to the central government far away in Kampala, which cannot deal adequately with both local and national issues. The sooner the demands of the people in 1986 and again in 1995 following the Ssempebwa-Odoki Constitutional Commission for the reinstatement of what we had unanimously agreed at independence are implemented, the better off the municipalities and the whole country will be.

[joe]

Interesting civil servant blaming people wat happened to the authority u have, u people can’t regulate soils from construction either roads or buildings no drainage system will cope without regulation including building factories,