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Engineering, Art & Tech

Experts Call For Integration of Land Use and Transport Planning for Kampala

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Researchers from Makerere University and officials from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development have called on the government to integrate land use and transport planning if we are to develop the urban centres around the city.

Speaking at a public dialoague, researchers noted that there was need to decongest the city and also demarcate Kampala City boundaries. “The city is expanding yet the planning is stagnating,” Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) said.

Dr Wilson Kayom, an official from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development said there was need to be concerned about the unprecedented population growth of the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area.   

Other challenges affecting the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA) include the development of slum cells, congestions on the roads and building and unplanned development.

Lack of proper transport system is affecting health of the population, the ecological system, and an acceptable urban environment for the residents of Kampala

Traffic congestion has for years been a big problem in Kampala. A typical urban road in Kampala is a single carriageway, about 4 meters wide, designed as a two-way road with each side carrying traffic in opposite direction.

The city, Dr Kayom said is affected by the unregulated taxi operations, the many Taxi parks/stages in the Central Business District (CBD), lack of separate walkways for pedestrians, lack of organized pedestrian crossings, Illegal parking along the main streets and Lack of enough traffic signals.

According to research, traffic jam costs Uganda over US$800m (over sh2.8trillion) in lost GDP annually. The country also loses 10 people per day in road accidents, according the traffic report, the highest in East Africa.

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Mark Wamai

Engineering, Art & Tech

Uganda Engineering Sector Takes Bold Steps toward Reform and Collaboration

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Makerere University’s School of Engineering is leading a transformative initiative to reshape Uganda’s engineering landscape through legislative engagement, academic collaboration, and industry integration.

The School, headed by Prof. Dorothy Okello, at the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), recently presented a comprehensive memorandum to Parliament on the proposed Engineering Professionals Bill 2024. The document, developed through extensive consultations with academia and industry, reflects the collective voice of Uganda’s engineering stakeholders.

Following the submission, a high-level meeting was convened on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025 at Makerere University’s CEDAT Boardroom. The gathering brought together officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport, university deans, and representatives from the Engineers Registration Board (ERB) to address key recommendations and matters arising from the parliamentary presentation. The Deans of Various Engineering Schools that were at the meeting included the Universities of Gulu, Muni, Busitema, Kyambogo, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda Christian University, together with the host, Makerere.

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Alex Isemaghendera

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Engineering, Art & Tech

CEDAT and KOICA Partner to Advance E-Learning at Makerere University

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A selection of the newly installed micro studio equipment on display during the official handover ceremony held at CEDAT on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.

The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Project Management Committee of the “Enhancing the Distance Education Environment at Makerere University” initiative. This agreement formalizes the operational and managerial framework for the newly installed micro studio at CEDAT, aimed at strengthening the university’s digital learning infrastructure.

Assoc. Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, Deputy Principal of CEDAT, signed on behalf of the college, while Dr. Shon JinGon, Project Manager at the Korea Institute for Development Strategy (KDS), represented the implementing partner during an event held on Wednesday, 25th June 2025.

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Alex Isemaghendera

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Engineering, Art & Tech

Uganda Urged to Strengthen OSHE Enforcement Amid Rising Workplace Injuries

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Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu (R) Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training in promoting workplace safety.

In response to Uganda’s growing workplace safety concerns, staff at the College of Engineering, Design, Art, and Technology (CEDAT) participated in an Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (OSHE) training session aimed at increasing awareness and improving adherence to safety standards in professional and academic environments.

The workshop, organized by the School of Engineering, was part of a larger effort led by the OSHE Centers of Excellence, an initiative launched at Makerere, Kyambogo, and Busitema Universities on May 4, 2023. This program seeks to enhance workplace safety education, with a focus on hazard prevention, PPE usage, risk mitigation, and integrating OSHE principles into engineering curricula and industrial practices.

Speaking at the training, Dr. Abubaker Waswa Matovu, Head of the Department of Computer and Electronics Engineering at Makerere University, emphasized the importance of the training which was aimed at creating awareness about the need for the College, the university and the industry to proactively plan for safety at the place of work. It was indicated that Uganda was faced by alarming workplace injury rates, with over 25,000 workers suffering from job-related injuries annually, yet fatality statistics remain largely unreported.

Dr. Matovu highlighted the urgent need for OSHE integration in higher education, pointing out that 99% of engineering and science graduates enter the workforce without formal safety training. This lack of preparedness has led industries to withdraw internship placements, fearing liability if trainees suffer injuries or fatalities while on the job, he noted.

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Alex Isemaghendera

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