United Nations
Development Programme

Plot 24 Prince Charles Drive, Kololo

P.O Box 7184

Kampala, Uganda

Tel: (256) 414-233440/1/2/5

Fax: (256) 414-344801

Email: registry.ug@undp.org

Houses built in or close to wetlands in the city of Kampala highlight the need for a National Urbanisation Policy

Urbanisation in Uganda has largely been a neglected issue. This is until recently when the Government of Uganda decided to give it more attention in the new National Development Plan.

Although urban area populations in Uganda have been growing by leaps and bounds over the past few years, a large part of development programmes, as well as research studies have ignored it concentrating more on rural populations.

As a result, the country lacks a relevant national urban policy or a major research on the issue of Urbanisation. Many of the existing laws and regulations relating to urban administration are outdated, some even dating back to the 1940s - 1950s.

However, with the unprecedented rapid growth of urban areas and the population occupying them, there are serious concerns over the poverty, human rights and governance issues in the urban areas, especially among the population living in slums and marginalised groups such as women. Currently the urban population in Uganda is around 15% and is projected to reach 40% in 2025.

Apart from highlighting it as a major issue in the National Development Plan, the Government of Uganda has decided to raise its profile by establishing a department of Urban Administration in the Ministry of Local Government.

Additionally, the government has asked all relevant ministries to develop a national urban policy accompanied by other strategies and plans.

In regard to the above, UNDP has started working with the Urban Administration Department (UAD), Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development to develop the policy, through partnership between the GoU, civil society and development partners. The funding for this activity is from the UNDP’s Democratic Governance Thematic Trust Fund (DGTTF).

The project aims to support the development of national urban policy by undertaking the following tasks:

(a) Conducting the urban situation analysis and

(b) To draft the first national urban policy in Uganda.

Based on the policy, the World Bank and other donors have agreed to support the design of a 10-year urban development strategy.

UNDP’s one-year project will provide the basis for future pro-poor and gender-sensitive policy framework on urbanisation in the country.

(By Ken Aoo -  Democratic Governance Unit)