TITLE:
Harnessing Geospatial Technologies for Sustainable Urban Planning in the Newly Created Cities in Uganda Using Rapid Physical Planning Approach (RAPPA): A Case Study of Hoima City
AUTHORS:
Charles Nyakwebara, Amin T. Kiggundu, Darious Kaijo, Emmanuel Bita Kaganzi, Cissy Nakawuki
KEYWORDS:
Geospatial, RAPPA, Capacity Building, Physical Development Framework
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.11 No.4,
December
27,
2023
ABSTRACT: Uganda created new cities in 2020
to strengthen its competitiveness for sustainable wealth creation and inclusive
growth. However, this was not matched with capacities to move the process.
Physical planning is one way through which to kick-start this process.
Convectional planning processes demand lengthy procedures which hardly bear
immediate solutions given the inadequate capacity to prepare sustainable plans.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban
Development (MLHUD) introduced Rapid Physical Planning Approach (RAPPA) to promote orderly urban
development in the country. RAPPA had never been independently employed
by urban local governments, hence the need to build capacity of local
governments to capture, analyze and use data in planning decisions. The study
employed mixed methods approach involving field reconnaissance surveys and
GISlab drills. Findings indicate that Hoima
city has multiple stakeholders including Technical Planning Committee,
Executive, Council agents and land lords that participate in planning
activities. About 90% of technical personnel had never had exposure to
geospatial technologies. The study recommends use of simple open-source
software like Quantum GIS to respond to planning problems, training and
retooling of technical personnel to effectively participate in planning activities
and to embrace RAPPA as a planning approach.