Prince Kassim Nakibinge has urged the Ugandan government to shift development initiatives to regional districts as a long-term strategy to ease congestion in the capital, Kampala. He warned that the city’s unchecked growth is placing unsustainable pressure on its infrastructure, public services, and overall livability.
Addressing a public forum, Nakibinge highlighted that too much of Uganda’s political, administrative, and economic activity remains concentrated in Kampala. This centralization, he said, is creating traffic gridlock, overcrowded public facilities, and rising living costs, while leaving other regions underdeveloped. “When all the focus is on one city, the rest of the country is left behind,” he said, emphasizing the need for a more balanced national growth model.
Nakibinge proposed relocating certain government offices, institutions, and services to regional hubs to redistribute population density and economic activity more evenly. Such a decentralization strategy, he argued, would not only reduce the strain on Kampala’s roads, housing, and public services but also stimulate economic growth in rural and semi-urban areas, creating jobs and opportunities across the country.
The prince also criticized the state of Kampala’s urban planning, pointing to years of neglect and short-term fixes that fail to address the city’s core infrastructure challenges. He stressed that without proactive measures, Kampala risks further traffic congestion, pollution, and diminished quality of life for residents.
Nakibinge’s call aligns with ongoing debates among urban planners and policymakers on how to modernize Uganda’s cities and promote equitable growth. Experts argue that decentralization and regional development could relieve pressure on Kampala, foster local economies, and ensure more inclusive access to resources and opportunities for citizens nationwide.
By prioritizing regional development, Nakibinge believes Uganda can create a sustainable urban future, one in which Kampala thrives without bearing the burden of national over-concentration, and other regions are empowered to participate fully in the country’s economic and social progress.