A wide range of challenges affecting service delivery in Kampala, including insecurity, poor garbage management, inadequate public toilets, housing gaps, weak coordination and shortages of social services, were laid bare during a meeting between Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials, city leaders and smart city village ambassadors.
KCCA executive director Sharifah Buzeki acknowledged the concerns and said the authority is committed to working with communities to address problems across the five city divisions of Makindye, Rubaga, Kawempe, Nakawa and Central.
‘We are here because of the challenges affecting people in Kampala, and we have to look for solutions, as early as possible,” Ms Buzeki said.
According to her, Kampala needs shared responsibility and determination if service delivery is to improve.
Insecurity, lighting and waste
Mr Abdul Kiyimba, the city ambassador from Makindye Division, cited insecurity caused by the lack of street lighting, especially on feeder roads linking neighbourhoods to main highways.
Several areas remain dark at night, making them prone to crime. We have black spots that need to be identified and worked on.
“The lack of security lights on connecting roads is one of our biggest challenges,’ Mr Kiyimba said.
He also raised concerns over garbage management, noting that delayed collection has resulted in heaps of waste in residential areas.
‘The garbage trucks take a long time to come, yet the garbage keeps piling up. Waste management should be prioritised so that we also reduce flooding in the city,’ he added.
Public toilets and housing gaps
One of the divisional ambassadors, Mr Lawrance Mayambala, highlighted the shortage of public toilets, particularly in Kampala Central, where population pressure is high despite the availability of public land.
‘We have both residents and people who come to work in the city, but the toilets are very few yet we have free public land. We want at least two additional public toilets in each division, especially those that are not for payment,” Mr Mayambala said.
On housing, Ms Sarah Namuli, city ambassador from Rubaga, called for affordable financing to help low-income earners improve their standard living.
“Instead of evicting residents whose houses do not meet standards, the city should support them through loans and technical guidance,” she said.