Uganda lacks Policy on Walking- Score card – Zero

With the biting inflation that hit the nation in the last couple of months that 
the opposition has used as a tramp card against the governing NRM, the sitting 
government and legislators have to critically look at the merits of walking as a 
means of movement in line with the main stream means of transport. 

From a dialectical perspective, transport to the interior during the 19th 
Century conquest of Africa was essentially on foot through jungles, desert, and 
plains with the sole purpose of amassing resources from the colonies, 
evangelization or simply jingoistic pride.  Today there is the same script of 
achieving their goals , thanks to miles of walking to and from school. 

Before the ongoing ‘walk to work’ protest debacle orchestrated by the 
opposition, in our not so distant history, a similar recourse to human powered 
transportation was demonstrated by the then President Idi Amin Dada when he rode 
a bicycle to work during the 70’s oil crisis as well as by reciprocal actions by 
Kenya’s President Mzee Jomo Kenyatta when oil supply was cut off to landlocked 
Uganda.   

As the first line of transportation , government and the local authorities  have 
totally neglected the value of footpaths, sidewalks, bridges or even ramps to 
ease movement of pedestrians , 
Over the years since Kampala city metamorphosed from a hamlet of well drained 
hills and valleys, her walk score card has declined inspite of or either due to 
sprawling developments with no consideration for physical planning , 
zoning,waste management  and green spaces. In the 80’s for instance walking 
through Kitante Valley was the easiest bee line to get across to the city either 
to or from school or work.  What is left of the sidewalks turns into a sprawling 
market with sales of anything from counterfeit Chinese sandals, rat poison, 
under garments, sim packs ,-anything goes.  
The American Embassy in along Nsambya road remains perhaps the best showcase of 
an effort to cater for sidewalks, but sadly for the walkers, the Americans are 
too paranoid of terrorists to open the sidewalk to pedestrians.   To make 
matters worse is the risk of developers leaving space for sidewalks outside 
their fences, at the risk of falling prey to land grabbers. 
 www.walkscore.com  Categorises cities and neighborhoods walkability by the 
following criteria: 

• Where there is a centre whether it is a main street or a public place
• People: Enough people for businesses to flourish and for public transit to
• run frequently.
• Mixed income, mixed use: Affordable housing located near businesses.
• Parks and public space: Plenty of public places to gather and play.
• Pedestrian design: Buildings are close to the street, parking lots are
• relegated to the back.
• Schools and workplaces: Close enough that most residents can walk from their
• homes.
•  Complete streets: Streets designed for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit

In Uganda where one or more criteria for walkability is met it is cancelled out 
by the ubiquitous boda bodas (motorbike taxis) that will pull all the stops 
including riding into sidewalks and  kerbs to get to their destination. 

• Whats more, are the benefits of walking (never mind the tear gas) to the
• environment, with next to zero emission.
• Health benefits through maintaining ideal body weight to avoid ailments
• associated with obesity
• Walking may save time and finances of having to commute, depending on how
• well the local planners have catered for ‘walkability’.
•  Walking for recreational purposes eg guided sight seeing on foot
• What should be done: With legislation from Parliament down to the Regulatory
• Framework pragmatic steps by setting deliberate policies to make the city
• walkable should be taken without giving in to any political expedience.

 
As of now there still remains the human wave of walkers whose only bee line to 
the city remains the rail tracks, protected by ,yet still victims of  their 
anonymity and resigned to their apolitical stance.  
Tony Ofungi 
Director Marketing &Product Dev’t/ Consultant Tourism & Hospitality
MALENG TRAVEL LIMITED
"Discover Your Special Place"
Mob: +256 (0)791884075/(0)712663381
Tel: + 256 471660681
Fax: +256 414 220 727
www.malengtravel.com 
skype: malengtravel