Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) is hosting a four-day benchmarking mission from Dhaka City, Bangladesh, as part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities initiative, Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki has announced. The delegation is led by Joseph Ngamije, Deputy Director of Partnership for Health Cities Africa, and will review Kampala’s efforts in air quality management.
Buzeki said Kampala’s data-driven approach to air pollution control has attracted international interest, with several countries adopting similar strategies. She noted that the city has already installed more than 100 air monitors across its five divisions to collect environmental data and track pollution trends.
The city has also operationalised real-time reporting systems, supported by community “air quality champions” deployed at village and cell levels. These representatives monitor local conditions and provide regular updates to KCCA.
In addition, Kampala is promoting a smoke-free urban environment through restrictions on smoking in public spaces and measures to discourage open-air waste burning, one of the leading sources of urban pollution and respiratory illnesses.
Buzeki said the reforms are part of broader efforts to address the rise in non-communicable diseases linked to environmental conditions in the capital. She emphasised that improving population health is central to KCCA’s long-term vision.
“At KCCA, we believe a productive, healthy population is core to realising our desire for a vibrant, attractive, liveable and sustainable city,” Buzeki said, urging continued cooperation under the clean air campaign.