'Walking and cycling are healthy, sustainable, economical and non-polluting means of transport: the citizens of Uganda have the right to walk and cycle in safety, while conforming to appropriate regulations, in their pursuit of work and family tasks and in accessing social and economic activities and services.’
Uganda National NMT Policy, (2012)
Background
Despite increasing motorization in Uganda, non-motorized transport modes are still the main means of transport in the country. Most Ugandan citizens rely on walking and use of bicycles for their basic livelihoods and access requirements. According to the Multi-Modal Transport Master plan for Greater Kampala, over 2.5 million non-motorised transport trips are performed daily in the metropolitan area and that the number of trips is expected to increase to a staggering eight million walking-cycling trips daily by the year 2040. Additionally, walking and cycling are extremely important for rural people to access water, fuel, wood, fields and livestock, education, health, and work.
Challenges
Increasing motorisation, combined with some inadequately maintained infrastructure, has made non-motorised transport unsafe, in both urban and rural areas. The needs of NMT are routinely omitted from the designs of road improvements. Road accidents adversely affect NMT users, especially pedestrians and cyclists.
Successes
More and more cities are now realising the benefits of NMT and are designing policies, programmes and projects to accommodate NMT needs. Not only does this lead to more sustainable transport, it also provides a strong impetus towards improved urban environments. Following the development of the NMT Policy (2012) whose primary objective is to increase the recognition of walking and cycling in transport planning and design, revolving around provision of safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, the Government is undertaking major investment programmes aimed at improving the physical infrastructure of Uganda’s roads, cities and urban centres. Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is implementing the Non-Motorized Transport Pilot Corridor, which is a complete remodeling of a 2-kilometer stretch of road that cuts through the center of the city. The ‘pedestrian shopping streets’ involves having the Namirembe road and old Luwum Street redesigned into a car-less space with walking paths to encourage walking as a way of living healthy and wider green spaces for recreation. The project is part of a wider strategy to decongest Kampala.
