This archive report was first published on 24 May 2020.
As Uganda emerges from the Covid-19 lockdown, Kampala, the country's capital city, is experiencing a remarkable transformation. For decades, the city has been plagued by chaos and disorder, with traffic congestion, pollution, and lawlessness rampant. However, with the lockdown and curfew in place, the city's authorities have seized the opportunity to restore sanity and order to the city's infrastructure.
One of the first shots fired in this effort was taken by the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), which reclaimed the road and road reserve at Kalerwe market, a notorious hotspot of chaos and disorder. The market's vendors had long occupied the road, causing congestion and chaos. With the lockdown in place, UNRA's team was able to sneak in and reclaim the road, paving the way for a more organized and efficient transportation system.
Building on this momentum, the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) has also begun to take action. The authority has started working in hitherto no-go areas, reclaiming space from unruly matatu groups, boda-boda stages, and vendors of all manner of merchandise. After a month of heavy repair and re-planning works, KCCA announced plans to reorganize the city, with a focus on instituting vehicle-free zones, cycling and bus lanes.
While some may view these plans as utopian, the physical structures being put in place are already a testament to the city's transformation. Divided roads with green-painted surfaces, cycling lanes, and bus lanes are becoming a reality, giving residents a glimpse of what a more organized and efficient city could look like.
As the city continues to evolve, residents are beginning to see the benefits of a more organized and efficient transportation system. With a drastic drop in pollution, measured at fifty percent or less of its level at the same time last year, the air is fresher, and the city is a more pleasant place to live.
With an investment of just over $100 million, the president has said, a smart, automotive industry could be established, further reducing pollution and improving the city's infrastructure. Already, a huge plant for zero-emission electric vehicles is under construction in Jinja by the army's construction unit and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
As Kampala continues to transform, residents are beginning to see the benefits of a more organized and efficient city. While there is still much work to be done, the city's post-Covid revival is a promising sign of things to come.
