Kayunga Town's Growth Stalled by Strict Building By-law

Kayunga Town Council’s ambitious plan to upgrade to municipality status faces a significant hurdle due to a stringent by-law enacted over ten years ago. The resolution requires all new constructions in the central business area to be storeyed buildings and include water-borne flush toilets.

This by-law, intended to elevate the town’s standards and meet municipality requirements, is now being criticized by local developers for stifling growth. They argue that the high cost of constructing multi-story buildings, coupled with the fact that upper floors often remain vacant due to unaffordable rents, makes such investments unprofitable.

“Although the by-law is good, it is, on the other hand, prohibiting the fast development of the urban area,” stated Muhammad Ssendyose, a local developer. He suggests that the council should allow those who can afford to build storeyed structures while permitting smaller, more accessible buildings for other investors.

Despite the town council lowering building fees for storeyed structures, the incentive has not significantly boosted construction. Town officials, however, remain firm on enforcing the law. Zaina Madada, the senior assistant town clerk, acknowledged the impact on development speed but emphasized that “development does not wait for anyone to get money.” She advised developers who cannot afford the storeyed buildings to pool resources.

The town council has ceased approving building plans that do not comply with the by-law, and even the sale of plots not meeting specific dimensions has been halted. Officials believe this approach is necessary for the town’s future beauty and to accommodate a growing population on limited land.

Local leaders are pushing for the town, with a population of around 30,000, to achieve municipality status, citing the presence of essential facilities. While challenges exist with the current by-law, the district physical planner noted advantages such as rising land values, suggesting that building modest structures on expensive plots is unreasonable.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/building-by-law-stalls-kayunga-town-growth-5594132