REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development

UGANDA’S NASCENT NATIONAL SPATIAL PLANNING AND
ITS ENVISAGED CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE RESILIENT
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
By Vincent B. Byendaimirabyendaimira@gmail.com

https://mlhud.go.ug/+256772447262

Plot 13/15 Century House, Parliament Avenue, Kampala - UGANDA.

January/2023

Outline
1 Introduction and Background2 Overview of Uganda’s National Physical Development
Plan (NPDP) (key assumptions, Objectives & Strategies)
3 The Plan’s implications
4 The plan’s contribution to Climate Resilient UrbanDevelopment in Uganda

1General Introduction‘Sustainable Land Use, Land Tenure
Security, Affordable, Decent Housing andOrganized Urban Development’’‘’To ensure sustainable land management,planned urban and rural development anddecent housing for all’’OurMandate‘To ensure a rational: sustainable andeffective use and management of land andorderly development of urban and rural
areas as well as safe, planned andadequate housing for socio-economic
development’’››

UGANDA

Total surface area
(241,551sqkm)
Current Population 41.5 million
persons, estimated 73 millionpersons by 2070 and by 2100
estimated 100 million persons

Land coverArea(Sqkm)

%age

Water

41,743

17.2

Land area

199,808

82.7

Forest Cover

33,82414National Parks &Wild life Reserves

38,657

16

Bush, Wetland,
Grassland among
others122,494

50.7

Built up area

4,832

2

“The above scenario requires a well-designed plan for land
use in order for the Country to develop sustainably, hence
the National Physical Development Plan”

2

Overview of Uganda’s National Physical DevelopmentPlan (NPDP)› Approved by Cabinet on
14th November 2022
› Hinges on two mainvariables - population andland› Sustainable urbanization
proposed as a strategy foraccommodating growing
population while freeing
land for agriculture

3

The Plan’s key assumptions, Objectives &Strategies

Key Assumptions› Urban population is expected to double from 20% to 40%of Uganda's population by 2040
› Growing population, even with larger scale, higher yielding& higher productivity farming methods, will put immensepressure on the country’s grasslands, forests, protectedareas & wetlands.

Objectives and Strategies of the Plan
Objective-01› Maximizing Regional Balance andEquity (Maximum dispersion ofurban
growthandmaximum
equality between sub-regions)

Strategies

i. Strategic polycentric cities (10 cities
already operational)ii. Infrastructure linking all the regionalcities (Express ways, regional
highways etc.

Objective-02› Maximizing Agriculture Production

Strategies

i. Implementation of Strategic Agricultural Zones (SAZs)
ii. Opening up of additional arable land (investment in irrigation,sensitization, cooperatives, storage, processing & marketing)iii.Physical Consolidation and cooperatives – Farms & Villages
iv.Agricultural Science and Innovation (Research anddevelopment).
v. Secondary Agricultural Land will provide the space needed
for mixed development agriculture, as well as urban areas toaccommodate the growing population

Objective-03› Maximizing Agricultural Lands

Strategies

i. Research & Tech Development - designed as a hub ofknowledge exchange.
ii. Intensive modern farming for cash crops and value addedagriculture.
iii.Attractions of Eco-Tourism and African cultures (music,sculpture, painting, gastronomy).

Objective-04› Environment , Tourism & Sustainability

Strategies

i. Restoration of lost biomass in protected areas
ii. Adoption of Green Growth Principles
iii.Creation of a Bio-Region (Region with rich biodiversity
values & potential Economic opportunities)
iv.Two Tourism Strategic Regions;a) The Albertine Graben region which accounts for over
70% of the country's current tourism revenueb) The Eastern Corridor tourism region

Objective-05› Maximizing the National Connectivity and Infrastructure
provision

Strategies

i. Emphasis on Efficient Public Transportation in urban areas.
ii. Establishment and construction of the National Expressway system &infrastructure corridors (roads, rail, utilities …)iii. Operationalization of Airports, both international and regional as well as
airfields for domestic freights
iv. Inland Water Transport and construction of inland ports and harbor
facilities
v. Making Water accessible to Households and Agriculture
vi. Improvement and expansion of ICT sector.
vii.Compact settlement

4

The Implications of theplan› On growing
population and land
resources.

“The strategy is to accommodate
growing population while freeing
land for agriculture”

Proposed Settlement System for Climate Resilience

Principles› Prioritize
infrastructure
andpublic transport inordertoreduce
movement› Manage urbanizationand ensure climate
resilience.

Hierarchy of Urban Centres› Effective management of settlement
systems characterized by a hierarchyof urban centres ranging fromregional cities, throughMunicipalities to Town Councils; andnucleated rural settlements.
› Smart compact settlements locatedalong major transport corridors andactively encourage regionalagglomeration.

Prioritization of Infrastructure› Prioritization of water & sewerage systems,energy,communication,transport,
publictransportation and NMT.
› National Expressway system and National
Passenger Train system, airports, inland watertransport and cargo.

ImplementationI. Compliance to the plan before anyproject is admitted into the Public
Investment Plan
II. Spatial data team set and capacity
builtIII. Prioritization of flagship projects
identified in the plan
IV. Strengthened Land use Regulation &Compliance Department.
V. All lower level PDPs to be informed bythe NPDP

How will the plan contribute to Climate
Resilient Urban Development in Uganda?

i. Regional balance should remove undue pressure fromthe prime city & create manageable secondary cities
ii.Prioritization of public transport and NMT
iii.Compact settlements will reduce the need formovement

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY