While improvements to Kampala’s physical plan are possible, the Executive Director of the National Planning Authority (NPA), Joseph Muvawala, has cautioned that years of unplanned infrastructure development may limit the effectiveness of the outcome. Speaking to Parliament’s Committee on Lands, Muvawala stressed the importance of first establishing comprehensive physical development plans for Uganda’s 10 newly designated cities before focusing on Kampala.
He emphasized that proceeding with development projects without clear physical plans results in high costs and disruption, pointing out that traffic congestion alone causes the country to lose about 4% of its GDP annually.

He also highlighted the need to clearly define the responsibilities of different institutions involved in planning. Under his proposal, the NPA would handle national and regional planning, the Ministry of Lands would oversee regulation and enforcement, and local governments would supervise planning at the district level.

He also mentioned that physical planning doesn’t work with politics emphasizing that politics is sometimes used to justify wrong doing.

Committee Deputy Chairperson Andrew Ojok questioned whether the damage done could be reversed and asked for viable strategies that would allow improvements with minimal disruption. Similarly, Pallisa Woman MP Kevin Kaala expressed uncertainty about the future of Kampala, asking if there’s still hope for reorganizing the city under current circumstances. Samia-Bugwe Central MP Denis Nyangweso urged the NPA to study successful planning strategies from neighboring countries like Rwanda.

In addition, Muvawala called on Parliament to fast-track the proposed Valuation Bill, which aims to standardize how land is valued. He said the lack of clear legislation has led to inconsistent compensation practices, inflated prices, and frequent legal disputes that delay government projects. Muvawala also criticized the practice of hoarding land in hopes of future appreciation, arguing it undermines economic productivity. Instead, he encouraged landowners to lease unused land without fear of losing ownership.

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