Uganda has received more than $600 million from the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD) to address critical infrastructure needs and waste management challenges in its capital, Kampala. The funding, announced on Thursday, aims to tackle the chronic underfunding that has long affected the city’s roads and waste management systems.
Kampala’s residents have frequently voiced concerns about the state of the city’s infrastructure, particularly the inadequate waste management services. These challenges were tragically highlighted last month when a landslide at a landfill on the outskirts of the city buried homes and claimed the lives of at least 35 people.
The financial package includes $566 million from the World Bank, largely in credit, with an additional $42.7 million from AFD. In its statement, the World Bank acknowledged the strain that Kampala’s rapid urban expansion has placed on its infrastructure.
‘Rapid urban expansion has exposed significant gaps in infrastructure,’ the World Bank said, emphasising the need for immediate upgrades to manage the city’s growing population and development needs.
The announcement comes amid the World Bank’s ongoing suspension of new lending to Uganda, which was implemented last year in response to the country’s anti-gay law. However, the World Bank clarified that this latest funding, approved before the ban, remains unaffected by the suspension.
This substantial investment is expected to improve Kampala’s roads and waste management systems, creating a safer, more sustainable urban environment for its residents.
Credit: Africabriefing
