KAMPALA AMONG TOP 15 CITIES FOR GUANGZHOU AWARD

Kampala has been shortlisted among the world's top 15 cities for the prestigious 7th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation, marking a major international endorsement of the Kampala Capital City Authority's (KCCA) efforts to build a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable city.

Kampala earned the recognition through its Air Quality Improvement Project, which showcases how technology, community participation and data-driven planning are helping address one of the city's most pressing environmental challenges.

The announcement comes just days after KCCA was named the best urban authority at the 2026 National Environment Sustainability Awards, further affirming the Authority's growing reputation as a leader in environmental management and climate resilience.

This year's Guangzhou Award attracted a record 381 project submissions from 248 cities in 60 countries, covering innovations in climate resilience, green development, digital governance, artificial intelligence, public service delivery and social inclusion.

Following a rigorous evaluation by a technical committee of nine international experts, only 15 cities were selected for the final stage of the competition.

Kampala is now among cities from Brazil, China, Colombia, Greece, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands, the Philippines, South Korea, Türkiye, Argentina and Russia competing for five global awards later this year.

The Air Quality Improvement Project reflects KCCA's broader commitment to protecting public health and creating a more liveable city.

Over the past few years, the Authority has established an air quality monitoring network of more than 100 monitoring devices across Kampala. The system provides real-time data that enables city planners and environmental experts to identify pollution hotspots, monitor trends and guide interventions aimed at reducing pollution.

To ensure that residents are part of the solution, KCCA partnered with Makerere University to implement a community-led air quality monitoring programme. Under the initiative, residents are trained as Air Quality Champions and equipped with smartphones and a mobile application that provides access to real-time air quality information from across the city.

Using the application, the champions conduct awareness campaigns in communities affected by transport emissions, biomass use and other pollution sources while encouraging behavioural change and community action.

The air quality project is one of several initiatives KCCA is implementing under its wider environmental sustainability agenda.

The Authority has intensified tree planting across schools, road reserves and public spaces, expanded green areas, strengthened waste separation and recycling programmes, promoted regular community clean-up exercises and improved environmental enforcement.

KCCA has also incorporated non-motorised transport into its infrastructure programme, with pedestrian walkways now forming part of every newly constructed or rehabilitated road to encourage safer and greener mobility.

Officials say these interventions are helping improve environmental quality while making Kampala more resilient to the effects of climate change.

The finalists will present their projects before winners of the 7th Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation are announced later this year.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali

Communication and Media Relations Officer