Uganda Eyes New Capital In Nakasongola As Minister Declares Kampala "Unlivable"

KAMPALA, 13 August 2026 — The Ugandan government is actively considering relocating key ministries, departments and agencies from Kampala to Nakasongola District, State Minister for Urban Development Margaret Muhanga confirmed to Parliament's Lands and Housing Committee this week. Muhanga described Kampala in blunt terms: "unlivable, unchangeable and untenable." She told the committee the city loses an estimated $1.6 billion annually to traffic congestion, with many residents waking as early as 4am to reach work by 8am. "Who is happy living in this city? I am not," she said. "We must move out of it." Why Nakasongola Nakasongola, in central Uganda, has been identified as the preferred site for its relatively central position, low population density, and large tracts of available land that would allow a new administrative capital to be planned from scratch rather than retrofitted. Existing regional cities were reportedly ruled out on the grounds that they already carry similar planning shortcomings to Kampala's. The idea isn't new. Nakasongola has circulated as a proposed new capital since at least 2022, appearing in opinion pieces and periodic parliamentary discussion, with commentators pointing to the district's central location, touching all four of Uganda's regions, its largely undeveloped land, and the possibility of planning infrastructure without the compensation costs that come with retrofitting an established city. What's changed is the official framing: this is a sitting minister stating the case directly to a parliamentary committee, not a newspaper opinion column. Tied explicitly to Vision 2040 Muhanga linked the proposal to Uganda's Vision 2040 development framework, describing a phased relocation that could stretch to 2040 rather than a single move. "You don't start it in one day," she said. "It is in our Vision 2040 that we start slowly moving different ministries, departments and agencies." She also said President Yoweri Museveni has previously expressed support for shifting the capital to Nakasongola. Committee chairperson Edson Rugumayo welcomed the renewed push and pressed for clearer implementation details, suggesting Parliament and the Executive could be among the first institutions to relocate. The Kampala property question Property owners and business operators in Kampala have raised concerns that a gradual shift of government offices could leave buildings vacant and depress the local real-estate market. Muhanga sought to head off that concern directly, insisting Kampala would remain a vibrant economic hub even if administrative functions move elsewhere, a separation between commercial capital and administrative capital that mirrors how several other African countries have structured similar relocations. The regional precedent, and what it actually took Uganda would be following a path several African countries have already walked: Nigeria built Abuja, Tanzania built Dodoma, and Egypt more recently built its New Administrative Capital outside Cairo. Tanzania's case is the most directly instructive one for Uganda's timeline expectations. The idea of relocating Tanzania's capital from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma dates back to 1973 under founding president Julius Nyerere, but the move only materially advanced decades later, largely under President John Magufuli between 2015 and 2020. That's roughly 47 years between the original proposal and meaningful execution, a data point worth keeping in mind against Uganda's own stated 2040 target. The pattern across these precedents is consistent: administrative capitals get built in phases over long timelines, government functions move first, and the commercial capital, Lagos for Nigeria, Dar es Salaam for Tanzania, Kampala for Uganda in this scenario, typically remains the country's economic centre of gravity regardless of where the ministries physically sit. What's actually confirmed versus proposed It's worth being precise about where this stands. No Cabinet decision has been made public. No budget has been allocated. No physical relocation schedule has been announced. What exists right now is a minister's parliamentary testimony and a renewed public and media debate it's triggered, not a funded government programme. Officials say further detail on timelines, funding and scope is expected in coming months as the proposal gets refined within the Vision 2040 framework, but "expected in coming months" is itself not a commitment. If implemented, the shift would represent one of the more significant urban-planning decisions in Uganda's post-independence history: an attempt to decongest Kampala while establishing a more centrally located, purpose-planned seat of government. Whether it follows Dodoma's multi-decade path from proposal to reality, or moves faster given the explicit Vision 2040 framing, is the open question this week's testimony doesn't answer. FAQ What did the minister actually say about Kampala? Margaret Muhanga called the city "unlivable, unchangeable and untenable," citing an estimated $1.6 billion in annual losses to traffic congestion. Is this a new proposal? No. Nakasongola has been discussed as a potential new capital site since at least 2022. What's new is a government minister stating the case directly to Parliament rather than the idea circulating in opinion pages. Has Cabinet approved a relocation? No. No Cabinet decision, budget allocation, or relocation schedule has been publicly announced. The proposal remains at the discussion and planning stage. What timeline is being discussed? A phased relocation potentially stretching to 2040, under Uganda's Vision 2040 development framework, rather than a single move. What happens to Kampala if this proceeds? The minister said Kampala would remain Uganda's commercial and economic hub even if administrative functions relocate, similar to how Lagos and Dar es Salaam retained their commercial roles after Nigeria and Tanzania relocated their administrative capitals. Has Uganda considered this before? Yes, repeatedly, dating back years across different governments, including previous NRM administrations, though this marks one of the more direct official statements on the idea to date.