UGANDA, | Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The Minister for Local Government, Mr Raphael Magyezi, announced that the Ugandan Government will build 12 more new modern markets in new municipalities across the country this fiscal year.
The new markets are in addition to the 14 markets that are already completed or under currently construction. The municipalities that received the initial markets include Arua, Gulu, Lira, Soroti, Moroto, Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal, and Hoima, to the tune of US$150 m (USh 527 billion), sponsored by The World Bank.
The districts that will benefit from these addtional markets include Mubende, Gomba, Kyotera, Rakai, Lwengo, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Sembabule and Kyankwanzi. According to Magyezi, each market will cost between USh15b and 25b, depending on its size.
The announcement was shared during a meeting on the importance of well-planned urban centres. Also in attendance was State Minister of Urban Planning, Mr Mario Obiga Kania, and staff of National Physical Planning Board.
Mr Raphael Magyezi further announced that the government would also build recreational centres, taxi and bus parks in these municipalities. He explained that 300 town councils would receive funding to begin physical planning by the end of September.
Additionally, Mr Magyezi said that the central government had begun physical planning for the cities of Arua, Gulu, Soroti, Mbarara, Fort Portal, and Lira. The remaining cities will begin planning during the next financial year.
The chairperson of the National Physical Planning Board (NPPB), Ms Amanda Ngabirano, has advised the government to develop a spatial framework and approve a national physical development plan.
She said, “we need political support in the board’s efforts to enhance compliance and enforcement of physical development planning legal procedures, especially from politicians who fail proper urban planning.”
In the meeting, she revealed the NPPB had given 4.5 billion Uganda Shillings to 11 cities to support their local governments to enforce and ensure proper physical planning in urban centres.
Local governments are encouraged to develop creative solutions to challenges in urban areas, including garbage management, through collaboration with ministries and government agencies.
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