Stanley S. Mulumba
22 October 2008
opinion
Kampala — The Government proposal to make changes in the boundaries of Kampala city with a view of creating a new municipality of Mengo to form the administrative capital of Buganda Kingdom in a Regional Tier System, has generated a lot of interest and discussion.
As politicians, Kampala residents and other citizens try to make up their minds on this issue, it may be helpful for them to look back and reflect on Kampala city's political and planning history.
Modern Kampala city can be said to have been founded by Capt. Lugard of the defunct British East African Company in 1890. His first command post was at Old Kampala hill, but this was later transferred to Nakasero hill.
Before the 1880's, the capital of Buganda moved from one hill top to another within the hinterland of present-day Kampala. The creation of Capt. Lugard's forts following the establishment of the Church Missionary Society (Protestant) on Namirembe hill in 1884 and the Roman Catholic Mission on Lubaga hill in 1885 and later the Muslim community on Kibuli hill, helped to consolidate Mengo hill as the permanent palace - capital of Buganda.
Soon, the four centres attracted sufficient population for urban development, forming what was called the Kibuga (king's capital) or Mengo Municipality until 1968.
It is important to note that Uganda was a protectorate and not a colony. This means that Uganda's towns were never planned to reflect white settler sections as was the case with Nairobi in Kenya. However, while Kampala was economically supported by the central government and could afford various services and employ qualified professional planners, Mengo Municipality was administered by the Buganda Local Government, which neither had finances nor planners to direct its growth.
The village settlements on the boundary between the two towns enjoyed the benefits of both towns, attracting low-income earners. This led to slum-like settlements such as Kisenyi, Kibuli, Kagugube-Makerere and Mulago, all along the boundary.
Nakawa and Kawempe, the two other townships before 1968, were established in the 1950s. Nakawa was meant to develop into a satellite town, mainly for immigrant workers and the low and lower-middle grade African civil servants.
Kawempe, on the other hand, was established as a new industrial satellite town for Asian businessmen. Initially, the Asians were enthusiastic and started setting up maize mills, saw mills and blanket factories. However, due to insecurity and the social-political changes that followed Obote's Nakivubo Pronouncement and the Move To The Left Policy in 1968-69, they sold their businesses to Africans before the early 1970s.
Therefore, it is important to bear in mind that before Buganda Administration was abolished in 1966, Kampala city was run by four authorities; Kampala City Council; Mengo Municipal Council; Nakawa Town Council and Kawempe Town Board. The last three were under the Buganda local government administration, while Kampala City Council was under the central government.
It is important to note that prior to 1966 when the former Buganda Kingdom Administration came to an end, each of these authorities operated independently. Kampala City Council was governed by the central Government, while Mengo Municipal Council, Nakawa Town Council and Kawempe Town Board were under the former Buganda Government.
Appointments for the mayor and councillors of Kampala City Council were made by the Ministry of Regional Administrations. The mayor and councillors of Mengo Municipal Council, the chairman and councillors of Nakawa Town Council and the chairman and board members of Kawempe Town Board were appointed by the Minister of Local Government in the Buganda Government. The Municipality of Mengo, Nakawa and Kawempe town, therefore, ceased to be separate and independent towns.
Before the Statutory Instrument of 1968, Mengo Municipality existed as a separate entity. Therefore the government proposal to reincarnate the municipality should not raise too many questions. Indeed, I would have expected almost all politicians and citizens of Buganda not only to support this idea, but to own it and be its major champions.
However, there are issues which the proposed Act should address and may have addressed since the full draft has not yet been published. These include the extent of the boundaries of the proposed Mengo Municipality; its political administrative structure and proposed technical management organisation.
It would be short-sighted to restrict the proposed Mengo Municipality boundaries to Mengo township, Lubiri and Bulange areas, parts of Lubaga Division and Kasubi Tombs, as reported in the media. The boundaries should be extended to Kakiri trading centre, Temangalo and Ssentema.
I have no doubt that if the proposed NSSF Temangalo Housing Estate is built, it will stimulate urban development in that area.Such development would generate sufficient income from taxes from prospective factories and institutions that would be established in the municipality. The Kabaka's Government is in dire need of such funds to run its development programmes.
As said earlier, before the abolition of Buganda Kingdom, the Minister of Local Government was responsible for appointing the mayor and counsellors of Mengo Municipality. Will this apply to the new Mengo Municipality Administration or will the officers be elected under universal suffrage by the residents? This could be a contentious issue like the one of whether the Katikkiro should be appointed by the Kabaka, people or caucus. This is a contention that has stalled the implementation of the central government's push to have regional governments.
Finally, who will be in charge of enforcement of development in the municipality? In 1968, when Kampala city boundaries were extended to include Mengo, Kawempe, Nakawa and parts of Sabagabo, Sabaddu and Mutuba II gombololas, the political and technical administration in the areas were absorbed in the staff structures of Kampala City Council.
The powers and responsibilities which had been laid in the Urban Authorities Act of 1964 included; to administer the town; safeguard public health; develop and manage land, including housing estates thereon; administer primary education and collect graduated tax. However, the city encountered a number of administrative problems, chief among them, a shortage of trained staff.
Although some of these problems have been partly tackled in the current city council administration, most of them persist. The creators of Mengo Municipality must bear all these constraints in mind and work out a master plan for tackling them. They must also coordinate the proposed municipality with the eventual Kampala Metropolis which is expected to extend to Entebbe, Mukono, Kiira and perhaps even Mpigi towns in the next 50 years.
The writer is an architect
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