MBARARA CITY OFFICIALS VISIT KAMPALA TO LEARN FROM VIBRANT CITY’S SUCCESSES

A delegation of city officials from Mbarara City, led by the Mayor Robert Kakyebezi and City Town Clerk Asa Abirebe, paid a benchmarking and courtesy visit to the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) on Thursday 13 July, 2023 to gain insights and learn from the successes of the bustling capital.

The purpose of their visit was to explore various areas, including revenue collection, infrastructure development, waste management, and urban planning, to implement similar strategies in their own city.

Kampala’s Lord Mayor, H.W. Erias Lukwago, warmly received the delegation at his City Hall office on Thursday. In his remarks, Lukwago emphasized the importance of collaboration and knowledge sharing among cities in Uganda. He stressed the need for comprehensive laws that address the unique needs of cities. He further highlighted the significance of an inclusive approach to city development.

During their visit, budgeting for cities was a key topic of discussion, with a focus on prioritizing development and infrastructure projects.

Dorothy Kisaka, the Executive Director of KCCA, expressed her commitment to promoting a Smart City Agenda in Kampala and emphasized the importance of collaboration and mutual learning. She stated that both technical expertise and shared experiences offer valuable lessons.

Mayor Kakyebezi acknowledged the interconnectedness of Ugandan cities, recognizing that developments in Kampala directly impact other cities. He expressed the desire for Mbarara and other cities to benchmark their growth and development strategies against Kampala's experiences, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to ensure the prosperity of all cities in the country.

During their visit, the Mbarara officials toured the Mayor's Parlor, gaining a deeper understanding of Kampala's governance practices.

Doreen Nyanjura, Deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala, highlighted the potential of developing new cities to create employment opportunities and reduce migration to Kampala.

The Mbarara delegation sought insights into several aspects of Kampala's governance and urban management, including strategies to combat vandalism, revenue collection, addressing housing challenges, physical planning, land management and enforcement mechanisms for controlling illegal construction.

The Speaker of KCCA Zahara Luyirika, the City Executive Committee members and the KCCA technical staff were also part of the engagement.

The visit concluded with a sense of optimism and a shared commitment to continued cooperation and mutual learning between Kampala and Mbarara. The Mbarara delegation expressed gratitude to the Kampala city officials for their warm reception and willingness to share their experiences. They returned to Mbarara with valuable insights and ideas to fuel the development of their own city, aiming to contribute to the overall progress of Uganda's urban landscape.​