1.2 Makindye Ssabagabo’s climate challenge

About Makindye Ssabagabo’s housing challenge

The biggest challenge the municipality faces is the unplanned and informal physical developments taking place, especially in the upcoming peri-urban areas of the municipality, due to rapid urbanization and the increasing influx of people from Kampala.

Like many other rapidly urbanizing cities in the world, Makindye Ssabagabo has not been spared the impact of climate change. The GKMA region in which the city lies is experiencing rapid urbanization and population growth, which are some of the key generators of greenhouse gas emissions. The city experiences occasional floods resulting in fatalities, air pollution and increasing particulate matter associated with the dry weather and other human activities. In 2019, seven residents died due to floods, the Kampala newspaper, Daily Monitor, reported.

The waste sector in general, specifically solid waste and the waste treatment subsectors, respectively, account for the biggest percentage of GHGs in the city. This distribution is related to the population and the different practices for waste and wastewater treatment, which are characterized by pit latrines, opening incineration and scattered dumping grounds for solid wastes. The emissions from waste also relate to its chemical transformation characterized by methane from decomposing matter. Also, the city lacks a mass transport system, obliging residents to rely on commercial motorcycles, commuter taxis and personal cars, all of which use internal combustion engines that result in air pollution.