The Independent Uncensored News Views And Analysis

But is former residential-cum-farming district ready to become a new industrial area?

Ali Kiguli owns AK Metal Works Ltd, a small cottage outfit, on Jinja Road in the Kampala Industrial and Business Park Namanve. He makes water tanks, pipes and gutters which he sells for a living. Since 2006 Kiguli has thrice been displaced from his working place by the bigger industries; an indicator of semblance of scramble for land in the area by industrialists. He now operates in between Hashi fuel station and the soon-to-open Masson Industries which will be making car tyres. Opposite Kiguli’s small metal workshop are sprouting structures of industries under construction in the green land (Namanve) that was until recently a swampy forested land.

“My business is catching up,” Kiguli says, “had it not been for these displacements I would be a smiling man all the day.”

Kiguli’s cottage industry is just part of the myriad industries that now decorate Mukono district outside the traditional Njeru industrial area near Jinja. Hitherto well known as a residential and farming area for many Kampala workers, Mukono is steadily emerging as an industrial centre and the catalyst seems to be the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) at Namanve which is located 12km along Kampala-Jinja highway at the boundary between Mukono and Wakiso districts.

A number of industries, both small and large scale, are on the rise in the area. But the problem is industries are sprouting anywhere; they are in the midst of people’s residence, trading centres, near schools, etc. This lack of a well-planned industrial area has a negative bearing on the surrounding communities due to industrial pollution.

Much as these industries present wonderful opportunities like employment and a wider tax base, there are challenges associated with unplanned industrialization that might turn out to be hazardous to the communities around rather than presenting better opportunities. For instance, an inspection of Wantoni, Lwanyonyi and Mbalala areas shows there are over 14 factories in the midst of people’s residences. These areas are isolated from each other though by a few kilometres. Yet a well planned urban area, according to physical planners, has to have land use zones catering for specific activities like leisure, recreation, residence, commerce, education, health, and industries to make life more comfortable.

Of the industries The Independent visited, their managers said they are helping in contributing to the economy through employment opportunities and taxation which in itself is good. However, when asked about how they are dealing with the issue of pollution, they remained tight lipped and others denied any pollution effects. Yet residents like Wilberforce Kamoga feels the noise pollution and smelly smoke coming out of some these industries is causing much discomfort and threat to their health.

“At midday you can hardly desire to be staying around this place because the noise and smoke coming out of the Riley Packing factory is unbearable,” says Kamoga.

Some of these factories are located within the wetland. The wetland between ABACUS Pharmaceutical drugs factory and the Kansenge Project Ltd, which makes toilet rolls is being drained. In between these factories another that will be manufacturing steel rolls is being constructed in the wetland where marram soils have been heaped to dry the blossoming green area. This interferes with the ecosystem.

In Namayuba where stone quarries exist, people’s houses have developed cracks as a result of noise from blowing up the stones.

“One builds a house now but in three years time he will be building another due to stone quarrying activities,” says Hassan Ssentongo, a resident whose house developed a deep crack that he says is due to quarry activities. Sentongo claims some people have been displaced as a result of the rapid industrialisation Mukono is experiencing.

The district authorities are, however, so far happy with the development. Livingstone Zziwa, the district vice chairman, says the strategic location of Mukono is now beginning to benefit the area in terms of industrialisation. As a result, industrial zones that will link to the Kampala Industrial and Business Park have been spotted and plans for these areas have been drawn, he says, adding that these areas especially those along Kampala–Jinja highway will be connected to electricity, water supply and roads will be rehabilitated.

 “Now that Mukono has been elevated to municipal status, we are planning for these social amenities like tarmac roads, better drainage systems, residential places and industrial areas,” says Zziwa, adding that “Mukono is a big market and we must capitalize on this; so we are working on a master plan to have industries separate from residences.”

Whether this will indeed happen and how is the big question. However, planners and district authorities need to beware of the danger of unplanned industries pose to the public. Much as industrialization leads to lesser dependence on imports, bolsters economic growth, widen tax base, and provides ancillary services and job creation, unplanned industrialization can result in misery. It risks turning residential areas into “gas chambers” resulting in an unhealthy population, making the negative cost of industrialisation higher than the benefit.

A cursory survey revealed the following industries are found in Lwanyonyi and Mbalala villages alone: Riley Packing (making boxes), Simba Rollers (making water tanks and water pipes), Kasenge Project Ltd (making toilet rolls), Tembo (making metal bars), Abacus (to be making drugs), Shares (treating seeds), Alphabiotic (fish processing), Mbalala coffee mill, Rainball (makes ice-cream and yoghurt), etc. These call for serious planning. But the surprising thing is that most of these industries have no planned staff residential or recreational facilities.

Short of proper planning Mukono is poised to become a rich man’s slum. Mukono authorities therefore need to borrow a leaf from the planned land use in the Kampala Industrial Business Park (KIBP) at Namanve. It calls for zoning where industries are set up in areas they ought to be without antagonising the people’s residence and other activities.

If the plan for the KIBP is implemented, it showcases a model for a reasonably well planned industrial zone. The park has land use zones designated for: public open space, logistics, commercial, leisure, and specific land for institutions like schools and health centres, residential areas at the periphery, industrial area served with road and railway networks, business process outsourcing and land for recreational services.

Unplanned industrialisation can lead to poor drainage systems causing flooding all the time. Poor garbage and industrial waste management could also have adverse effect on the environment.

For now, Namanve is the prototype of an industrial area. UIA’s Industrial Parks Development director, Arthur Bwire says the concept of Namanve is that of a city on its own with industrial; banking, hospitals, education, recreation, and transport services. The park will have conference facilities, trade, and residential areas will be at the periphery of the industrial park. “Some acreage of land of 170 at the boundaries of these industries will cater for this,” said Bwire, “private sector people in real estate are already building in the neighbourhood of the park.”

Mukono district planners might therefore need to borrow a leaf from the plan of the KIBP Namanve if residents like Kiguli and Kagoma are to fully appreciate the benefits that come with industrialising.

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