Mubende authorities outlaw non-storeyed structures

Authorities in Mubende Municipality have banned the construction of non-storeyed structures in the central business area.
Mr Innocent Ssekizivu, the mayor of Mubende Municipality, said new building plans will not be approved unless the developer gives assurance of erecting a storeyed structure. 

The central business area covers West Division and East Division.
“We have given our people enough time to prepare and the time is now to start enforcing standards that match the municipal status we attained,” he said during an interview yesterday.

The town has only 10 storeyed buildings, five of which are hotels.
Mubende is among the towns that were elevated to municipalities in 2017.

This development comes after the municipality secured Shs13 billion from the World Bank to improve infrastructure. 
The funds, which were channelled through the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme, are expected to be used for upgrading roads, drainage systems and street lights in the town. 

The roads being prioritised under the first phase of the project include Lubanga, Kabalega, Second Link, Kifuufu, Katogo, Church, and Central Market.
 “When these roads are tarmacked, they will spur development in the town and it will be an embarrassment to have dilapidated structures along such standard roads,” he added.

The project, which will last 18 months, was awarded to China Wu yi Company Ltd. The municipality has a road network of 320kms.
Mubende Municipal deputy Town Clerk Frank Mpewo said plans are underway to establish a sewer line and sewerage treatment plant.

Mr Mpewo said they would also ban pit-latrines and promote toilets.
“Before we implement our solid waste management strategy, we expect all developers to put up structures that conform to urban standards with clear sewerage systems,” he said.

Mr Samson Ssebwato, a resident of Mubende Town, urged municipal authorities to give developers ample time to set up storeyed structures.
“I don’t think non-storeyed buildings are among the pressing problems we have as a municipality. Let them first address the garbage issue,” he said.

In other towns such as Kayunga and Lira, where a similar directive was earlier issued, it has faced stiff resistance from local developers, who claim they lack funds.

Mubende Municipality, which has a population of 200,000 people, is among the eight towns that benefited from the next phase of USMID project worth $360 million (about Shs1.3 trillion).

The programme is aimed at enhancing institutional performance and improving service delivery in urban centres. Other beneficiary towns include Lugazi, Kasese, Kamuli,  Apac, Kitgum, Ntungamo, and Busia.

What residents say
Steven Ssemango Kasozi, a resident in Mubende Town, also NRM spokesperson Mubende District: If Kampala, which is the capital city still has non-storeyed structures, how can they be banned in Mubende which has just been elevated to a municipality?

Francis Agaba, a resident of Mubende Town May be Mubende will soon become a city and that is why our leaders are rushing to enforce the required building standards. We pray that they succeed in all their endeavors.

Additional reporting by Fred Ssewajje.