Development control gone awry

Kampala’s urban landscape reflects systemic development failure, contrasting with Kigali’s long-term vision and effective governance in infrastructure and planning.

- Wellington Muzengeza

Lack of polish: Kampala's urban form reflects a city that has grown by default rather than by design.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

After a four-week professional immersion in Rwanda, a country that has mastered the art of urban coherence, I arrived in Kampala, Uganda, with a sharpened analytical lens and a pen reawakened by contrast.

Kigali had reignited my passion for writing after a prolonged hiatus, offering a compelling case study in disciplined urban planning.

It is a city where infrastructure speaks the language of intentionality, and governance is not merely performative but profoundly service-oriented. Kigali's urban form is not accidental. Its pedestrian-friendly pavements, efficient moto-taxi system, and absence of potholes or load-shedding are the result of a governance model that privileges long-term vision over short-term expediency.

The city's cleanliness is not cosmetic; it is infrastructural. Its silence is not apathy; it is order. Rwanda's strategic investment in human capital, sport diplomacy, and global partnerships has positioned it as a hub for tourism, investment, and international collaboration.