Kampala could become a mega slum in 10 years - WB
People go about their business in one of Kampala slums. The World Bank has warned that the city may become a mega slum if infrastructure is not improved. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
City population is expected to grow to 10 million in 10 years from 3.5 million now.
Kampala- The World Bank has cautioned that Kampala could become a mega slum in the next 10 years if no action is taken to improve the quality of infrastructure and commercial investment.
Human population in Kampala and other urban centres is growing faster than the rural areas because the youth are rapidly migrating from the rural to urban areas.
This, as they search for employment opportunities, which are mainly concentrated in urban areas where industries and other employing firms are found.
Currently, 6.4 million Ugandans live in urban areas across the country. However, the World Bank report projects that 21 million people in Uganda will live in urban areas by 2040.
Speaking during the launch of the fifth edition of Uganda’s economic report titled: The Growth Challenge: Can Ugandan Cities get to Work? last week in Kampala, the World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi, Mr Philippe Dongier, said: “Kampala could either become a mega city or a mega slum in the next 10 years due to high urban population growth rate with low economic activities and poor infrastructures.”
Mr Dongier said Kampala Metropolitan has a population of 3.5 million with that projected to grow to 10 million in the next 10 years.
The people will out space the available facilities and services within the city if no proper infrastructure and capital investment is done now, he warned.
“The challenge is that this requires integrated urban planning to attract more investments in the city. By urbanising effectively with all the necessary infrastructure and increased investments in urban centres Uganda will be more likely to achieve middle income status by 2040,” he said.
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