Nakasongola Capital City design plan out
By Our reporter
ENTEBBE – Joadah Consult Limited, a prominent Pan-African engineering firm has drafted the Nakasongola Capital City design plan. Uganda has ambitious urban development ideas to move key government functions away from Kampala and develope a new administrative capital in Nakasongola.
According to Mr Joel Aita, Chairman Joadah Group, the plan that stretches a radius of 40 kilometres up to Lake Albert, has modern infrastructure investment to be led by the private sector.
“Nakasongola has several advantages as a future Capital City of Uganda. Did you know that Nakasongola touches all the four regions of Uganda? It is in the middle of Uganda, It borders the west, north, East and central,” he posted on his X handle on Tuesday September 22nd, 2026.
Adding, “Nakasongola is still a plain land, which can be planned from the start with minimum compensation. This will offer a very good Infrastructure development from the start, a free trade zone to attract the industrial sector so that good business sense is made out of the city. The infrastructure development can be private sector led.”
Aita says in the economic history of humanity, urbanization has always been an accelerator of growth and development.
“The proximity of all the factors of production that occurs in the urban settings boosts efficiency because there are lower transaction costs; bigger, closer markets; and a natural tendency to form high-value areas of specialization,” he said.
“Indeed, it seems that no economy in the world to date has become prosperous without becoming urban. In my view, there are three areas that we need to address to ensure prosperous urbanization. First is the issue of adequate rules and regulations. Second is having a carefully thought-out long-term urban design,” Aita further explains.
“And third is putting into place a financial plan that ensures adequate funding. Kampala as our Capital City can ensure there are rules and regulations in place, which can be enforced; a financial plan can be put in place to ensure adequate funding of the city activities,”
He said it’s almost becoming impossible to have an urban design for Kampala, which can handle its future population.
“There are a number of issues, which make Kampala an impossible future city of Uganda; The land tenure system; more than 70 percent of Kampala land is mailo or privately owned. This makes Infrastructure decision-making on the side of government very difficult and very expensive. The Infrastructure master plan of Kampala was not meant for a large City. It’s important to address urban design early on because if you don’t, it is very difficult to do so once the city is established,” he said.
Aita, explains “Social and political issues emerge and it becomes a very complex and expensive process. For example, if we are to have six lane roads in Kampala now, just imagine the number of buildings that have to be compensated.”
Joadah Consult Limited offers holistic services in the planning design, engineering, construction, operation and maintenance of buildings, infrastructure and Industry projects across the African continent.
It has designed several projects including the Women Specialised Hospital and also operates in Malawi.
