MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Government To Build New Cities in Bunyoro, Buvuma
Government To Build New Cities in Bunyoro, Buvuma
24/06/2013 (Daily Monitor) - The government is planning to construct two new cities in the Albertin region and Buvuma Island, the minister in charge of urban development has said.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Monitor last week, Ms Rosemary Najjemba revealed that the government would use part of the $150m (about Shs389.6b) World Bank loan to construct modern cities. The loan is meant to help develop 14 municipalities, including Hoima, which is located in the Albertine region. The region covers more than 10 districts.
“We want Buvuma to be the ‘Mauritius’ of Uganda. With the palm oil project underway, so many investors are moving to the region and we don’t want a disorganised city like Kampala,” Ms Namayanja said.
“Oil is an attractive resource and quite a number of investors will be running to the Albertine to get closer to the resource,” she added. The government is expected to earn billions of dollar once commercial oil production starts. At Buvuma Island, palm oil fields cover close to 30,000 hectares of land, with government recently giving away 10,000 more hectares for the same cause.
Without specifying the timeframe for the construction of the two cities, Ms Najjemba said: “We need to plan ahead of time. We don’t need them [cities] to grow in a haphazard way.”
She, however, said urban development faces hurdles in Uganda. “But the urban policy is underway and we are still gathering information from all stakeholders.”
The Ministry of Lands, under which urban development falls, was allocated two per cent of the national cake. “This is too little to have a meaningful impact,” she added.
The minister said two new satellite cities would also be constructed in Nsanji, Wakiso District and Nakisunga in Mukono District. “These urban centres will act as tourist attractions and we shall be able to bring in foreign exchange.”
Early this year, the government announced that it would build a modern city near Karuma Falls. According to a senior ministry official, the project would cost $4.6m (about Shs12b) over three years.
In an exclusive interview with the Daily Monitor last week, Ms Rosemary Najjemba revealed that the government would use part of the $150m (about Shs389.6b) World Bank loan to construct modern cities. The loan is meant to help develop 14 municipalities, including Hoima, which is located in the Albertine region. The region covers more than 10 districts.
“We want Buvuma to be the ‘Mauritius’ of Uganda. With the palm oil project underway, so many investors are moving to the region and we don’t want a disorganised city like Kampala,” Ms Namayanja said.
“Oil is an attractive resource and quite a number of investors will be running to the Albertine to get closer to the resource,” she added. The government is expected to earn billions of dollar once commercial oil production starts. At Buvuma Island, palm oil fields cover close to 30,000 hectares of land, with government recently giving away 10,000 more hectares for the same cause.
Without specifying the timeframe for the construction of the two cities, Ms Najjemba said: “We need to plan ahead of time. We don’t need them [cities] to grow in a haphazard way.”
She, however, said urban development faces hurdles in Uganda. “But the urban policy is underway and we are still gathering information from all stakeholders.”
The Ministry of Lands, under which urban development falls, was allocated two per cent of the national cake. “This is too little to have a meaningful impact,” she added.
The minister said two new satellite cities would also be constructed in Nsanji, Wakiso District and Nakisunga in Mukono District. “These urban centres will act as tourist attractions and we shall be able to bring in foreign exchange.”
Early this year, the government announced that it would build a modern city near Karuma Falls. According to a senior ministry official, the project would cost $4.6m (about Shs12b) over three years.