Planning of National Transport Infrastructure
In the Islamic Countries
76
3.3. Uganda
This is a case study of a country with successful transport planning that is part of OIC Geography.
The evidence used in the case study has been obtained from published information, online
information, meetings with numerous officials and academics, and responses to the
questionnaires prepared by the Fimotions consulting team. A considerable amount of
information has been drawn from COWI consultants of Denmark who has been present in
Uganda for 30 years and from the Ministry of Works and Transport, which are gratefully
acknowledged. The consultant preparing this case study has also been in Uganda working on a
Mid Term evaluation of the National Transport Master Plan funded by the European Union and
has gained a good insight into the planning system.
Uganda has been selected because in 1986 following 24 years of power struggling, a new era of
responsible government was ushered in. It marked the beginning of the journey to the
restoration of the Kingdoms in Uganda. Solving this crucial political issue enabled the road to
full-blooded democracy and constitutionalism, economic, educational and social advancement.
This provided the political stability needed to develop the country in general and transport in
particular. Already this is in an important historical observation.
By way of general background the 18% of the 200,500 km2 land area is water. The population
was 41.5 million in 2016 and growing at 3.3% per year. GDP in 2016 was USD 25.53 billion
growing at 1.3% at constant prices. The proportion of the Ugandan population living below the
national poverty line declined from 31.1% in 2006 to 19.7% in 2013. Unemployment, rates are
unclear, with the World Bank quoting 2.9% for all ages while youth unemployment has been
stated as being as 69%.
Regarding transport performance, while road accessibility nationally is improving, rail has
stagnated and urban transport has become increasingly problematic. Although, the role of the
private sector in the solution mix is well understood, it is yet to be established to provide both
infrastructure as well as services. The existence of problems does not imply lack of success, it is
the firm intension to solve these problems in a contemporary way then indicates success. The
need for the sector to be policy driven is understood and sector and subsector planning is well
advanced.
Although cited as a good example of national transport infrastructure planning, Uganda does not
provide the ideal case study for NTI planning because there remain many challenges, more that
it shows that an African Country is heading in the right direction, that a transport planning
process is being established and better decisions are being made.
3.3.1. Political and Legislation Factors
A 15 year National Transport Master Plan (NTMP) was produced for the period 2008-2023
(MoWT, 2008b). According to the MoWT (2018), the NTMP provides the framework in which
decision making on transport investments is made, including those of the IFIs like the European
Union and AfDB. The NTMP also has projects that comply with international agreements that
Government of Uganda (GoU) has made, such as in the development of the Northern Corridor.
The range of policy instruments, programmes, plans and institutions that are involved in
contemporary transport planning is very large. Fimotions has attempted to chart most of those