Uganda to demolish buildings 'unfit to be on main streets', starting in Kampala

Uganda will demolish old and unfit buildings along main streets starting in Kampala before expanding to other cities, municipalities and towns, State Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Persis Namuganza said on Thursday, according to Pulse Uganda. She said the operation is expected to begin soon.

Namuganza announced the plan while unveiling the second Uganda Real Estate and Housing Expo, which will take place at Kingdom Kampala Gardens from September 25 to September 26, 2026. She said the demolition forms part of enforcement of the Physical Planning Act, 2010, and its amendments, which declared the entire country a planning area. "We shall have no room for houses which are not on plan," she said.

The minister warned that government will no longer permit buildings constructed too close to each other without leaving enough space for access, drainage and other essential services. She cited the Uganda Cities and Municipal Infrastructure Development plan as a guide for identifying buildings that have outlived their usefulness, and said houses unfit for main streets would be marked with an X for demolition.

"We are not going to spare any house in any city, town or municipality which has outlived its usefulness," Namuganza said. "We are also looking closely at houses which are not fit to be on the main streets because they give a bad picture of our cities and towns and how they look. All those houses, we are going to mark them with an X for demolition."

Owners will be given the opportunity to redevelop their properties, and those without the money to do so can seek government support through a public-private partnership, she said. The Ministry of Lands has opened a desk where affected property owners can discuss possible partnerships, including sharing units or having the government buy off such properties.