Mtoto wa Mkulima
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 12, 2007
- 681
- 126
What new city plan must have
A NEW KAMPALA: Joshua Wandera
It was interesting to read President Musevenis article: God gave you the authority to look after your city, use it (New Vision, December 10). He described the Kampala city that he would like to see: Buildings, shops, pavements; tarmac roads; and grass.
He said that government and Kampala City Council (KCC) should concentrate on roads, pavements and planting grass; and people would be encouraged to tarmac or pave their compounds.
The other key things included industrial parks for jobs; sports and quality of education. I hope the presidents vision for the city would be included in the new Kampala metropolitan plan that is being drafted.
However, there are other key things that we need to include in this plan. Besides the grass, we need trees as the city gets industrialised. Trees are a cheap means of minimising industrial pollution. Recently, my young sister visited me in Nairobi. She was amazed at the number of trees in the city.
She saw Gigiri and Daggoreti forests in the city. In Nairobi, there is always a tree planting programme by the city council. People are not allowed to cut trees even in their compounds without written permission of the city council.
I wish KCC could make it mandatory for everyone to plant trees in their compounds. And this thing of people just cutting trees anyhow must stop.
I read through the presidents script twice, it would have been helpful for him to say that he does not want to see people building houses and industries in wetlands.
Sports: People need to be encouraged to eat healthy but also do exercises. But the roads in Kampala are dangerous to walk on. The drivers are mad, driving even on the walk ways. Boda boda provide an important service to many people. But how do we want them to operate in a modern city? Lets create zones where these gentlemen operate and zones beyond which they shouldnt go in the city centre.
I see many estates coming up but where are the recreation facilities in these estates? What is the role of KCC in planning these estates? I was reading about the loan that government has secured from World Bank to improve roads and sanitation in Kampala. I did not see any plans for flyovers. We could also try out concrete roads. I am told concrete roads last 30 years.
What about a railway system? Do we think we shall manage traffic in Kampala in the next 25 years without a railway system? Just imagine what it would mean if Kampala was connected to places like Mukono, Entebbe, Jinja etc with a railway system!
But before that happens, we need to organise our existing transport system. Having taxi and bus parks in the city centre causes unnecessary congestion. Fuel stations: It seems this is a profitable business, just looking at how they are mushrooming in the city. As Uganda becomes a fuel producing country, I just hope there wont be fuel stations in every home!
Health care system: it would also be useful to hear the presidents plan with regard to healthcare in the city. This should include ambulance services and management of epidemics.
A NEW KAMPALA: Joshua Wandera
It was interesting to read President Musevenis article: God gave you the authority to look after your city, use it (New Vision, December 10). He described the Kampala city that he would like to see: Buildings, shops, pavements; tarmac roads; and grass.
He said that government and Kampala City Council (KCC) should concentrate on roads, pavements and planting grass; and people would be encouraged to tarmac or pave their compounds.
The other key things included industrial parks for jobs; sports and quality of education. I hope the presidents vision for the city would be included in the new Kampala metropolitan plan that is being drafted.
However, there are other key things that we need to include in this plan. Besides the grass, we need trees as the city gets industrialised. Trees are a cheap means of minimising industrial pollution. Recently, my young sister visited me in Nairobi. She was amazed at the number of trees in the city.
She saw Gigiri and Daggoreti forests in the city. In Nairobi, there is always a tree planting programme by the city council. People are not allowed to cut trees even in their compounds without written permission of the city council.
I wish KCC could make it mandatory for everyone to plant trees in their compounds. And this thing of people just cutting trees anyhow must stop.
I read through the presidents script twice, it would have been helpful for him to say that he does not want to see people building houses and industries in wetlands.
Sports: People need to be encouraged to eat healthy but also do exercises. But the roads in Kampala are dangerous to walk on. The drivers are mad, driving even on the walk ways. Boda boda provide an important service to many people. But how do we want them to operate in a modern city? Lets create zones where these gentlemen operate and zones beyond which they shouldnt go in the city centre.
I see many estates coming up but where are the recreation facilities in these estates? What is the role of KCC in planning these estates? I was reading about the loan that government has secured from World Bank to improve roads and sanitation in Kampala. I did not see any plans for flyovers. We could also try out concrete roads. I am told concrete roads last 30 years.
What about a railway system? Do we think we shall manage traffic in Kampala in the next 25 years without a railway system? Just imagine what it would mean if Kampala was connected to places like Mukono, Entebbe, Jinja etc with a railway system!
But before that happens, we need to organise our existing transport system. Having taxi and bus parks in the city centre causes unnecessary congestion. Fuel stations: It seems this is a profitable business, just looking at how they are mushrooming in the city. As Uganda becomes a fuel producing country, I just hope there wont be fuel stations in every home!
Health care system: it would also be useful to hear the presidents plan with regard to healthcare in the city. This should include ambulance services and management of epidemics.
