Most cities and towns in Uganda are grappling with the challenge of mud and dust. This contributes to poor air quality more so during the dry season. Given that most roads are not paved, clouds of dust can be seen hovering over the many small roads in and around the city. The ideal situation would have been to pave most of these roads but government says it cannot afford. In this scenario therefore there is need for promoting and supporting actions of greening our cities.
Although Kampala is naturally a green city, it has only been overstretched by the ever increasing population that continue to cut trees without replacing them. As the city expands, the green cover is being completely wiped out. The number of trees being planted are too few to sustain our urban areas. The central government and urban authorities need to start deliberate programmes to plant trees in all towns and cities unceasingly. City authorities should partner with the private sector to plant as many trees as possible. In addition, private individuals with vacant land that is not being utilized need to be encouraged to plant trees in these areas in the meantime.
If government can afford, they could also consider buying pieces of land where they can start planting trees and encourage urban forests which in turn help in absorbing the ever increasing carbon emissions this ensuring improved the air quality. These are some of the small steps Uganda can take which do not necessarily require large sums of money but have big impact on urban lives. Greening cities should be one of the most deserving priorities of government.