Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is moving to deepen its partnership with the Buganda Kingdom as the city accelerates efforts to improve infrastructure, public transport, markets, trade regulation and waste management.
The push for closer cooperation emerged on Wednesday when KCCA’s political and technical leadership visited the Buganda Kingdom headquarters at Bulange, Mengo, for talks with Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga.
The delegation was led by Lord Mayor Ronald Nsubuga Balimwezo and KCCA Executive Director Hajjat Sharifah Buzeki. It included the Deputy Lord Mayor, Speaker and Deputy Speaker, division mayors, City Executive Committee members, councillors and KCCA directors.
For Balimwezo, the meeting was also a courtesy call on Mayiga following his election as Lord Mayor.
Why the partnership matters
Mayiga said KCCA and Buganda have a shared interest in improving Kampala and should work together to deliver better infrastructure and public services.
He commended KCCA’s ongoing road construction and market-development projects, acknowledging that infrastructure works can create temporary disruption while delivering longer-term economic benefits.
“Thank you for constructing roads. It affects us, but we appreciate,” Mayiga said.
He also backed the development of organised markets, saying they provide better working conditions for traders and improve access to services for city residents.
Mayiga urged KCCA to maintain efforts to organise street trading and accelerate public transport reforms.
“Be firm on that,” he said.
The Katikkiro also committed the Kingdom to supporting community-led cleanliness initiatives, including National Cleaning Days, and encouraged residents to separate waste at source.
Balimwezo seeks formal KCCA-Buganda framework
Balimwezo said Kampala’s position as Uganda’s economic hub makes its development a national priority and requires sustained engagement with Buganda.
“Kampala is the heart of Uganda and Buganda. We cannot build the Kampala we want without coming here to seek knowledge on how best to build the city,” he said.
He described Buganda as Kampala’s biggest landlord and said the Kingdom should be involved in decisions affecting the city.
“You cannot transform Kampala without involving Buganda Kingdom,” Balimwezo said.
The Lord Mayor proposed establishing a KCCA-Buganda working group to provide a structured mechanism for coordinating development priorities and addressing issues affecting both institutions.
KCCA: ‘Whatever we do’ must involve Buganda
Buzeki said closer cooperation with Buganda is essential because much of KCCA’s work is undertaken on land belonging to the Kingdom.
“Whatever we do, we do it on the land of Buganda. Whatever we do, we have to move with the Kingdom and work with it to succeed on our reforms,” she said.
She argued that KCCA’s transformation agenda requires the Kingdom’s support and institutional buy-in.
“We cannot sit at City Hall and not come here. Whatever we do must have a buy-in here first,” Buzeki said.
Buzeki pointed to existing areas of cooperation, including implementation of the Trade Order, which she said has benefited from the Kingdom’s support as KCCA works to restore order in the city.
She also cited the development of Ggaba, Usafi and Kamwokya markets as examples of investments aimed at improving conditions for traders.
According to Buzeki, Buganda has also supported road development by providing right of way for infrastructure projects affecting Kingdom land.
The Kingdom’s participation in Bulungi Bwansi, she added, has complemented KCCA’s efforts to improve cleanliness across the city.
“We call upon you to keep supporting us, especially on the National Cleaning Days,” she said.
A partnership with economic implications
The renewed engagement comes as Kampala faces interconnected challenges that directly affect its role as Uganda’s commercial centre.
Poorly managed public transport, congestion, informal trading, inadequate waste management and infrastructure gaps can increase the cost of doing business and undermine the city’s competitiveness.
For KCCA, closer coordination with Buganda could make it easier to implement projects involving Kingdom land, while the Kingdom stands to benefit from better services and infrastructure across areas under its jurisdiction.
The proposed KCCA-Buganda working group could therefore become an important mechanism for turning political goodwill into practical cooperation, particularly in areas where land, urban planning and public service delivery intersect.
