Recently, I was privileged to be part of the team that successfully launched Vision East Africa Forum (VEAF) - Rwanda Chapter in the capital Kigali. VEAF is a regional-wide civil society think-tank facilitated by Friedrich - Ebert Stiftung (FES).

It comprises five chapters of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi committed to advocacy of a people-centered EA integration process.

While navigating through Kigali, I was immensely amazed by its pace of transformation and development. Fellow Ugandans I have to admit, Kigali is racing ahead of us in modern developmental terms.

The city is clean, orderly, vibrant, well organised and better managed. It has a well functioning service delivery system, efficient public transport system, functional traffic lights, road signposts, no potholes, designated pedestrian friendly walk-ways and designated parking areas.

Every commuter taxi is registered and overloading is prohibited.

Each boda boda rider wears a helmet with inscribed personal telephone number and carries an extra helmet for the passenger. It is illegal not to wear a helmet and there are severe prohibitive and enforceable penalties for offenders.

Noise and pollution are highly regulated, corruption strictly abhorred and there is general respect for public installations. In Kigali, laws are made, enforced and dully respected by everyone. Penalties for breach are terribly severe.

There is also very limited visibility of police or military officers on the roads. Unlike Kampala, Police officers in Kigali have not usurped the function of traffic lights.

Admittedly, many tourists may find Kigali quite more impressive than Kampala, and you know in most cases tourists pave way for investors.

KCCA Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and Executive Director Jennifer Musisi who are apparently at loggerheads need more tours of Kigali and less of Washington or Mecca to learn how things are done.

As they recklessly waste our time and tax payers' money fighting, Kigali is racing ahead of Kampala.

Popularly known as the city of a thousand hills, Kigali although relatively small, is commercially, administratively, socially and politically indispensable. It presents us with an opportunity to undertake and implement cost effective citizen driven but effective policies.

I believe if, we swallow our pride and emulate it, taking into account our local peculiarities, we can get Kampala and upcountry towns like Mbale, Jinja, Masaka or Gulu back on track.

Having been the epic center for the 1994 genocide, Kigali has simultaneously recovered to emerge as an exemplary city for homegrown innovative means of justice and reconciliation.

You cannot escape the attention of those who know Kigali that the city is on the move. Apparently for most people while in Kigali, their eyes and attention of are always diverted on the genocide tragedy.

However, the resilience of Rwandan leadership and its people has led to unprecedented transformation which though far from perfect, is nonetheless indicative of recovery, self-sustainability and progress.

Though it was neglected by the international community during its most trying times, Rwanda has proved exceptionally resilient. Rwandans have built their country drawing upon their culture.

As one you talk to people on the street, you realise a sense of justice, peace, healing and reconciliation deriving from concepts and practices that the Rwandan population recognises as their own.

My prayer to KCCA authorities is that Kigali becomes an inspiration for Kampala as far as order, cleanliness and management is concerned.

Second, as we race for EA integration, Kigali shows us how cities emerging from conflict can draw on their own principles and practices to overcome animosity, and build more open, vibrant and democratic societies.

George Ntambaazi is a regional political analyst