What should be done- Re:Urban Planning and design
- Which town, city or municipality in Uganda is planned, designed environmentally, residentially, the infrastructure both communication and amenities – NONE!! - See what has happened with the former Commercial Bank Building – isn’t it terrible!! I challenge KCC to produce a SITE MAP of UCB building location, APPROVED original architectural design UCB building, AND the reasons why the building was built the way it was originally constructed. - After a thorough investigation into urban planning issues in this country, I am more than convinced – the government, local governments, municipalities and town councils including Kampala City Council have no ability what so ever; to plan, design, model and organise this country’s; towns and cities. - Which town, city council or municipality in Uganda has for example a map making or road engineering design department in this country – NONE!! - I challenge Kampala City Council (KCC) to produce Economic, Topographical and Thematic maps of Kampala; this challenge goes to Entebbe and Jinja Municipality too. - I challenge KCC, Jinja and Entebbe municipality to produce detailed local council road designs maps as per topographical studies, environmental studies, weathering and erosion principals. - I challenge KCC , Jinja and Entebbe municipalities to produce micro climatic data and maps of all buildings that have been built in Kampala in the past recent 10 years and even those newly approved plans. - You are free to visit us at www.idrconslting.com for instant consultancy for urban planning and design in your region. - How do you plan without maps and how do you built roads without maps and engineering design or civil works studies?!!!!!! - In Uganda you ask in bewilderment who built a house on a hill side – poor people and their educated counterparts quickly without reflection answer a one MUGAGA(rich fellow)! - Mark you, there are no planned roads, water, sewerage or telecommunication facilities in place so the mugaga digs a huge sceptic tank by the side of his mansion on the hill, leading to contamination of water tables below: where the poor slum dwellers live!!!! - My findings shows, Uganda’s media too, disturbingly and shockingly, both written and visual has boxed itself into a corner for being self subversive and telling excessive lies to gain political credence, in order to make money! - They therefore fear to write and or talk about urban issues afflicting even these media houses maybe more, than people who have nothing, for fear of closure and imprisonment! - Then there is a problem of hierarchal structures in administration combined with NRM tribal structures. - The man or woman above can’t be advised or antagonised lest a lower officer looses his or her job- a stalemate warranted. Tribal sentiments are also rampant when an officer in the hierarchy is a western, trust me no one will ever mention any mistake in the organisation for fear of implications! - Billions of Uganda Tax Payers Money, is wasted year in year out on foreign trips by City, Town, and local council workers in tickets and allowances, to educate them about urban planning issues. - It’s a waste of time since there is no visible transfer of such experiences on ground or anywhere in this country’s town or city. - Moreover it is nonsensical if not out right stupid to assume, a person uneducated specifically in urban planning will visit a city or municipality and draw any lessons thereof instead of fancying nothingness. They learn lessons about what? - On the outset, I will propose that any future Mayor/s, Town clerk/s, Town and City Planners, Engineers all must have shown and documented experience in planning besides academic documentation in urban planning. - The above officials must be sworn and contracted government workers and not elected officials affiliated to any political organs per their professional duties, and only committed to their contractual work. - KCC and/ or any other entity offering the same duties, will never develop any town, city as they are ravaged with; corruption, hedonism, incompetence, ignorance and lack of will to resolve this country’s urban issues. - For example the problems, Jinja , Kampala and other towns and municipalities are facing are primary; political, organisation and innovation. - These problems have been acerbated by government officials and antagonistic political organs sometimes based on sheer malice and ignorance. These politicians at times have got no clue about urban planning, design and appended socio-economic and environmental issues. - Many of these officials have commercial interests in areas where they serve and for that reason have got no; ability, disposition, propensity, and properties, what so ever as per their duties to stand against their own interests in pursuit of national urban planning goals. - Some of the unfinished buildings in dangerous structural state in cities, town and municipalities belong exclusive to government officials. Those employed as Mayor/s, Townclerk/s, Town and City Planners, Engineers. - For example, many town centres and cities; Mayor/s, Town clerk/s, Town and City Planners, Engineers own buildings, businesses and other investments which contravene; urban, health, engineering, architectural policies and urban laws, as put down local council by-laws and national laws. - Because we have nothing to loose or fear, despite the threats and hindrances levelled on us, we will continue to write, work and do consultancy work, with the same propensity about these and other issues. - You are free to visit us at www.idrconslting.com for instant consultancy for urban planning and design in your region. Bwanika ________ http://www.idrconsulting.com --> for your consultancy needs _______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list Ugandanet@kym.net http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
