East Africa’s Cities Are Growing Fast — But Are They Growing Fair?

 

                              Houses constructed in a waterlogged area in Kampala city suburbs (Photo: UCSD)

World Habitat Day 2025, observed on October 6, will highlight urban crisis response amid growing challenges such as climate change, conflict, and inequality. Organised by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the global observance will be hosted in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together policymakers, innovators, and communities to showcase tools and strategies for sustainable urban development.

According to UN-Habitat, this year’s theme emphasises addressing multifaceted crises threatening urban stability and livability, making it a critical platform for organisations aligned with sustainable development goals.

East Africa’s towns and cities are growing rapidly, offering opportunities for economic growth but also exposing residents to deep social, infrastructural, and environmental pressures. The region’s urban future depends on how effectively governments and communities respond to the crises of inadequate housing, overstretched services, climate risk, and inequality. Addressing these challenges requires pragmatic investment, inclusive governance, and drawing lessons from other parts of the Global South.

As we mark World Habitat Day 2025, in East Africa, we need to ponder over some key questions: How do we make these cities and other urban settings livable and stable for all? Does East Africa focus too much on infrastructure at the expense of little on equity? To what extent are the East African Community Partner States really prepared to integrate the voices of women, youth, and informal workers in urban planning?

Upgrading the informal city

A significant proportion of East Africa’s urban residents live in informal settlements, which often lack secure tenure, sanitation, drainage, and basic services. These conditions perpetuate poverty and expose households to floods, disease outbreaks, and eviction risks (UN-Habitat, 2020).

Incremental upgrading—through provision of secure land rights, small-scale infrastructure, and community-led planning—improves safety, opportunity, and stability. Successful projects across African cities highlight that involving local women’s groups, youth, and informal worker associations ensures that interventions respond to diverse lived realities (World Bank, 2022). For example, addressing youth unemployment in the growing cities and urban areas across East Africa is a major challenge calling for long-term supportive policies and plans.

Climate risk as a planning priority

East Africa is already experiencing climate extremes. Recent floods in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania showed how unplanned expansion and weak drainage intensify disaster impacts (Relief Web, 2024).

Building resilience requires investment in green-blue infrastructure—wetlands restoration, retention basins, and permeable pavements—combined with enforcing land-use policies that protect the remaining wetlands, natural waterways and the urban greenery. Intersectional adaptation must account for the fact that women, children, and low-income groups often live in flood-prone areas and are disproportionately affected by displacement and loss of livelihoods (UN Women, 2021).

Health, heat and flood resilience

Rising temperatures, though unusual, are a flaring new phenomenon that threatens public health, particularly for vulnerable groups such as outdoor workers, the elderly, the sick and children. Ahmedabad, India’s Heat Action Plan—introducing early warning systems, public cooling centres, and targeted outreach to at-risk groups—demonstrates the life-saving potential of low-cost preventive approaches (Knowlton et al., 2014). In East Africa, similar measures should integrate gender-sensitive communication and ensure accessibility for the vulnerable, people with disabilities, and children who are often overlooked in emergency planning.

In the same way, the effects of extreme precipitation, rising water levels causing displacements, floods, and tropical storms on vulnerable communities across East African cities need action. These could be mitigated by scaling up locally-led, cost-effective mitigation measures that strengthen nature-based capacities.

Mobility, inclusion, and public space

Social exclusion and unequal access to services often fuel instability. Medellín, Colombia, pioneered “social urbanism,” using cable cars, integrated bus systems, libraries, and parks in marginalised neighbourhoods to reduce violence and improve cohesion (Brand & Dávila, 2011).

For East Africa, inclusive mobility must go beyond transport to consider safety for women and girls who have to walk long distances in search of (affordable) water from dawn to dusk, affordability for low-income groups, and universal design for people with disabilities. Investments in public space and mobility that reflect these needs not only enhance equity but also strengthen urban stability.

Finance and governance

Strong governance and stable finance underpin all resilience strategies. Municipalities in East Africa often lack predictable revenue streams and the capacity to plan at scale. Strengthening local taxation, improving intergovernmental transfers, and accessing climate finance are critical (World Bank, 2022). Intersectional approaches also demand participatory governance, where marginalised voices are actively included in decision-making to avoid perpetuating inequality.

Adapting lessons from the Global South

The experiences of Medellín in Colombia and Ahmedabad in India highlight that inclusion, preparedness, and visible improvements are central to resilience. However, these models cannot be copied wholesale; they must be adapted to East Africa’s diverse cultural, political, and resource contexts. By combining slum upgrading, climate resilience, public health preparedness, and inclusive infrastructure—underpinned by intersectional governance—East Africa can transform the risks of rapid urbanisation into opportunities for building stable, livable cities.

References

• Brand, P., & Dávila, J. (2011). Mobility innovation at the urban margins: Medellín’s Metrocables. City, 15(6), 647–661.
• Knowlton, K., Kulkarni, S. P., Azhar, G. S., et al. (2014). Development and implementation of South Asia’s first Heat-Health Action Plan in Ahmedabad (Gujarat, India). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(4), 3473–3492.
• ReliefWeb. (2024). East Africa floods situation report. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/
• UN-Habitat. (2020). World Cities Report 2020: The Value of Sustainable Urbanisation. Nairobi: UN-Habitat.
• UN Habitat (2025). World Habitat Day 2025: https://urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/world-habitat-day-2025
• UN Women. (2021). Gender and climate adaptation in urban contexts. New York: UN Women.
• World Bank. (2022). African Cities: Opening Doors to the World. Washington, DC: World Bank.

Tackling Obesity in Africa Through Sustainable Food Systems and Consumption Practices

 

Source: agsinger.com

Obesity is a severe form of overweight and leads to a higher risk of developing insulin resistance and high blood pressure, as well as life-threatening diseases later in life, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers.

It is emerging as a pressing public health challenge across Africa. Traditionally associated with high-income countries, obesity is now rising in African nations due to rapid urbanisation, dietary transitions, and sedentary lifestyles (Popkin et al., 2020).

The World Health Organisation (WHO, 2023) estimates that over 18 million African adults are obese, with prevalence expected to increase as processed and energy-dense foods dominate diets. Addressing this challenge requires a systemic shift towards sustainable food systems and healthier consumption practices that can simultaneously improve nutrition, safeguard the environment, and promote long-term resilience.

Furthermore, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) released a Global Report titled: The 2025 Child Nutrition Report – ‘Feeding Profit: How food environments are failing children’, which reveals how unhealthy food environments are contributing to the worldwide surge in overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. 

The Report warns that as countries like Uganda and others in Africa transition to middle-income status, ultra-processed foods and beverages become more widely available and more affordable, increasing the prevalence of overweight among children across all household income levels.

What can be done to offset this danger? To what extent can sustainable food systems be part of the solution?

Sustainable Food Systems for Healthier Diets

Sustainable food systems provide safe, nutritious food while preserving the environment, supporting livelihoods, and promoting equity (FAO, 2018). For Africa, strengthening such systems is key to reversing obesity trends. One approach is boosting local production and consumption of traditional nutrient-rich crops such as millet, sorghum, beans, and leafy vegetables. 

These foods are less processed, have lower carbon footprints, and contribute to dietary diversity (Hawkes et al., 2020). Initiatives in Ethiopia and Nigeria promoting indigenous grains have been linked to healthier dietary choices and lower reliance on imported ultra-processed foods (Akinola et al., 2021).

Boosting Traditional Crops through Schools

Schools are powerful platforms for promoting sustainable diets and preventing obesity. Integrating traditional crops into school feeding programmes creates demand for local agriculture while shaping healthier eating habits in children.

The Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSF) promoted by the World Food Programme (WFP) in countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya sources local grains, legumes, and vegetables for school meals (WFP, 2020). This improves child nutrition while providing smallholder farmers with predictable markets. In Ghana, linking school meals to yam, cowpea, and millet production has enhanced both student nutrition outcomes and farmer incomes (Aurino et al., 2019).

School gardens and nutrition education further reinforce healthy habits. In Uganda, the “School Garden Initiative” teach children to grow amaranth and cowpeas, linking classroom learning with practical skills (FAO, 2021). Targeting schools also prevents early exposure to sugary drinks and energy-dense snacks, which are strong predictors of overweight later in life (Popkin et al., 2020). Embedding agriculture, education, and health objectives into school feeding policies ensures that boosting traditional food consumption becomes part of a sustainable, multi-sectoral strategy.

South Africa: A Case Study

South Africa faces one of the highest obesity rates in Africa, with nearly 40% of adult women classified as obese (WHO, 2023). The government introduced a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) in 2018, resulting in reduced purchases of sugary drinks and lower calorie intake, particularly among lower-income households (Stacey et al., 2022). Complementing this, South Africa’s “Food-Based Dietary Guidelines” encourage culturally relevant, healthier diets emphasising fruits, vegetables, and legumes (Vorster et al., 2013). Together, these interventions illustrate how fiscal policies and education can promote sustainable consumption.

Comparative Lessons from Latin America

Latin America provides additional lessons for Africa. Mexico’s 2014 SSB tax led to sustained reductions in sugary drink purchases, especially among low-income households (Colchero et al., 2017). Beyond taxation, Mexico and Chile implemented front-of-package warning labels to guide consumer choices and restrict misleading marketing to children (Taillie et al., 2020). These measures demonstrate that combining fiscal and regulatory policies can amplify the impact of programs promoting traditional, nutritious foods.

Challenges and Opportunities

Despite these opportunities, challenges remain. Poverty and food insecurity lead many Africans to prioritise affordability over nutrition (Popkin et al., 2020). Weak regulatory frameworks and limited enforcement capacity hinder efforts to control aggressive marketing by multinational food corporations. Cultural perceptions linking overweight with prosperity also complicate behavioural change (Steyn & Temple, 2022). Nonetheless, integrating obesity prevention into broader development strategies—including local agriculture, school feeding, and fiscal measures—offers promising pathways for sustainable impact.

Recommendations for Africa

Integrate Indigenous Crops into School Feeding Programmes

• Prioritise nutrient-rich local foods in school meals and support smallholder farmers through procurement contracts.
• Include school gardens and nutrition education to reinforce lifelong healthy habits.

Implement Fiscal and Regulatory Measures

• Expand SSB taxes and introduce warning labels on ultra-processed foods.
• Restrict marketing of unhealthy foods to children and adolescents.

Promote Urban and Rural Food Environments that Support Healthy Diets

• Invest in urban agriculture and local markets to improve access to traditional foods.
• Regulate the density of fast food establishments around schools and workplaces.

Strengthen Cross-Sectoral Policy Coordination

• Integrate agriculture, health, and education policies to address obesity, malnutrition, and sustainability simultaneously.
• Encourage public-private partnerships for food innovation and the distribution of nutrient-rich local foods.
• Monitor and evaluate interventions to inform iterative policy improvements.

Conclusion

Africa’s rising obesity challenge reflects unsustainable food systems and consumption patterns. By promoting indigenous crops through school feeding, regulating urban food environments, incentivising healthier choices, and reshaping consumer demand, African countries can build sustainable, health-promoting food systems. 

South Africa’s SSB tax demonstrates the effectiveness of fiscal measures, while lessons from Latin America highlight the added value of labelling and marketing regulations. Implementing these strategies collectively positions Africa to reduce obesity, enhance nutrition, and foster sustainable development.

References

• Akinola, R., Pereira, L., Mabhaudhi, T., de Bruin, F., & Rusch, L. (2021). A review of indigenous food crops in Africa and the implications for sustainable food systems. Sustainability, 13(2), 1–19.
• Aurino, E., Tranchant, J. P., Sekou Diallo, A., & Gelli, A. (2019). School feeding or general food distribution? Quasi-experimental evidence on the educational impacts of emergency food assistance during conflict in Mali. Journal of Development Studies, 55(1), 7–28.
• Colchero, M. A., Rivera-Dommarco, J., Popkin, B. M., & Ng, S. W. (2017). In Mexico, evidence of sustained consumer response two years after implementing a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. Health Affairs, 36(3), 564–571.
• FAO. (2018). Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework. Food and Agriculture Organization.
• FAO. (2021). School gardens for education and health. Food and Agriculture Organization.
• Hawkes, C., Ruel, M. T., Salm, L., Sinclair, B., & Branca, F. (2020). Double-duty actions: Seizing programme and policy opportunities to address malnutrition in all its forms. Lancet, 395(10218), 142–155.
• Popkin, B. M., Corvalan, C., & Grummer-Strawn, L. M. (2020). Dynamics of the double burden of malnutrition and the changing nutrition reality. Lancet, 395(10217), 65–74.
• Stacey, N., et al. (2022). Changes in beverage purchases following the implementation of a sugar-based tax in South Africa. Health Economics, 31(3), 475–491.
• Steyn, N. P., & Temple, N. J. (2022). Evidence to support a food-based dietary guideline on sugar consumption in Africa. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 35(2), 56–62.
• Taillie, L. S., et al. (2020). An evaluation of Chile’s law of food labelling and advertising on sugar-sweetened beverage purchases from 2015 to 2017. PLOS Medicine, 17(2), e1003015.
• United Nations Children’s Fund (2025), Feeding Profit. How food environments are failing children. Child Nutrition Report 2025, Report Brief, UNICEF, New York, September 2025 https://www.unicef.org/reports/feeding-profit
• Vorster, H. H., et al. (2013). The development of South African food-based dietary guidelines for adults. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 26(3), S5–S12.
• WFP. (2020). State of school feeding worldwide 2020. World Food Programme.
• WHO. (2023). Obesity and overweight – Africa region. World Health Organisation.

Saving Lukindu: A Call to Conserve Uganda’s Wild Date Palm

                                                Source: Wikipedia

This wild date palm, scientifically known as Phoenix reclinata  and popularly known as Lukindu (Luganda), Lusansa (Lusoga), Itchi (Madi), Ekikindu (Runyankore), grows in dense clumps beside swamps and rivers with a slender mature trunk that may reach 10 metres, and often bent over (‘reclinata’).

It has enormous uses, including: providing quality charcoal, timber (for local doors, and has been widely used to bridge waterways and when constructing pit latrines, fence posts, as it is not easily attacked by termites and other pests. It yields yellow-brown fruits (mpirivuma) that are processed to make a coffee-like beverage that is reportedly caffeine–free and is now locally processed and packaged for sale in Kampala and other areas. Its leaves are important for ornamental purposes, for roofing, basketry, and mats.

Every year on Palm Sunday, the tree suffers tremendously as many Christians reach out for its leaves to celebrate this event.

Unfortunately, little effort has been put into conserving and/or replenishing it. As early as 1995, AB Kitende, Ann Birnie and Bo Tengnas, in a book: Useful Trees and Shrubs for Uganda – Technical Handbook No. 10 (Regional Soil Conservation Unit/ SIDA, noted that Phoenix reclinata  has been overharvested in Uganda and requires immediate attention by replanting and restricting the removal of all leaves.

During this year's National Tree Planting Day, communities, businesses and Christians country-wide should be vanguards to do something – to conserve this wild palm wherever it is, to replant it using the suckers that they may have access to. They can also consider raising it from its seeds in the long run as part of the  ROOTs Campaign. Seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in containers, and germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 months.

The Map to Resilience: Uniting Science, Finance, and Justice for Africa’s Climate Future

A diversity of foods from Uganda (photo: Kimbowa Richard)

The 13th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XII) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from Friday, September 5, to Sunday, 7, 2025. This year, the Conference will convene under the theme “Empowering Africa’s Climate Action with Science, Finance and Just Transition”.

CCDA -XIII, occurring just a few days ahead of the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2), will serve as the technical segment that provides a crucial foundation for ACS-2, focusing on strengthening resilience, fostering green growth and scaling up climate finance.

The backdrop of this is that  Africa stands at a critical juncture in the global climate crisis. Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions (IEA, 2022), the continent remains one of the most vulnerable to climate change.

From prolonged droughts in the Horn of Africa to devastating floods in West Africa, the impacts are intensifying. Empowering Africa’s climate action demands a dynamic interplay of science, finance, and a just transition—underpinned by the foundational role of enabling infrastructure such as climate mapping systems.

Science: Mapping the Path Forward

Science is essential to building climate resilience, but the quality and availability of data matter just as much. Climate mapping systems—such as geospatial tools, hazard maps, and ecosystem vulnerability indices—serve as critical infrastructure for planning, monitoring, and prioritising adaptation and mitigation actions. These systems help identify risk-prone areas, allocate resources efficiently, and inform resilient infrastructure development.

For instance, Africa’s Geo-Referenced Infrastructure and Demographic Data for Development (GRID3) and regional climate services are helping countries like Zambia and Nigeria plan more targeted interventions (UNDP, 2021). These tools not only enhance scientific decision-making but also increase transparency, which is key to unlocking public and private climate finance.

Finance: Scaling with Data and Confidence

Climate finance remains a major bottleneck. Africa receives only about 3% of global climate finance flows (CPI, 2023). Investors—especially from the private sector—often hesitate due to perceived risks and lack of data. This is where mapping systems become strategic: by providing evidence-based risk assessments and investment maps, they reduce uncertainty and help structure bankable projects.

Public finance institutions and development banks are more likely to fund programs that are data-driven and clearly targeted. Likewise, private financiers look for investment-grade information on climate risks, potential returns, and socio-economic impact. Mapping systems provide this clarity and are essential for blended finance models that combine concessional and commercial capital.

Just Transition: Inclusive and Informed

A just transition ensures climate action is equitable, participatory, and inclusive. Millions of Africans still lack access to modern energy or formal employment. As countries shift toward green growth, mapping tools can guide where interventions are needed most—such as off-grid solar in rural areas, sustainable agriculture zones, or regions in need of re-skilling programs.

Moreover, by integrating social and gender-disaggregated data into mapping platforms, policymakers can ensure no vulnerable group is left behind. This strengthens social buy-in and ensures that the green transition supports communities rather than displacing them.

Conclusion

Science equips Africa with the tools to act, finance provides the means to scale, and a just transition ensures fairness. Crucially, mapping systems act as the connective tissue between them—translating complex data into actionable insights that attract investment and deliver impact.

For Africa to lead in climate adaptation and resilience, these systems must be prioritised as core infrastructure. With the right investments and partnerships, Africa can chart a climate-smart, inclusive, and prosperous future.

Hence, the Second Africa Climate Summit has to realise the need to treat and advance science as a sustainability enabler and game-changer. Once this is appreciated at the political level across the continent, it will be much easier to convince climate financiers (with hard evidence), and to crowd in private investment to scale adaptation and mitigation. In turn, this will unlock opportunities to improve livelihoods in this region.

References

·         IEA (2022). Africa Energy Outlook 2022. International Energy Agency.

·         IPCC (2023). Sixth Assessment Report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

·         Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) (2023). Global Landscape of Climate Finance 2023.

·         UNDP (2021). Mapping a Sustainable Future: GRID3 Applications in Africa.

·         African Development Bank (2021). Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).

 

Beyond Symbolism: How Uganda’s National Tree-Planting Day 2025 Can Spark Real Change

Shea butter tree seedlings in Nebbi (photo: Kimbowa Richard)

The Ugandan Government, through the Ministry of Water and Environment's Forestry Sector Support Department (FSSD), launched the Running Out Of Trees (ROOTs) Campaign —an ambitious public-private initiative aimed at restoring the country’s lost forest cover in 2019. This campaign, which focuses on reforestation, restoration, and forest conservation, has a goal: to plant 200 million trees by 2026, equivalent to 40 million trees annually, symbolising a tree for every Ugandan.

This campaign addresses a pressing environmental crisis. Between 1990 and 2023, Uganda's forest cover decreased from 24% to 12.2%. Alarmingly, 65% of this deforestation occurs on private land, often due to the expansion of agriculture, industry, and settlements.

Forestry contributes 6% to Uganda’s GDP, and over 90% of the population depends on wood-based energy such as firewood and charcoal. The stakes are high, and the ROOTs campaign offers a path toward environmental and socio-economic renewal.

ROOTs Progress and Milestones

Launched in 2020 with only five private sector partners, the campaign has since grown significantly. By 2023, over 30 stakeholders, including companies, religious institutions, schools, government agencies, and development partners, had joined the effort.

ROOTS prioritises indigenous tree species, such as:
· Khaya anthotheca (African mahogany)
· Melicia excelsa (Muvule)
· Afzelia africana, Prunus africana, Shea-butter tree, Canarium schweinfurthii, Warburgia ugandensis, and fruit trees

At a recent meeting in Kampala, Dr Alfred Okot Okidi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water and Environment, noted that Uganda had slightly exceeded 50% of its tree-planting target, despite setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Tree Planting Day 2025: More Than Just a Gesture

The upcoming National Tree Planting Day, scheduled for October 3, 2025, will be launched at Busoga College Mwiri in Eastern Uganda and simultaneously observed across the country. Citizens will be encouraged to plant at least one tree each.

However, for this event to spark real transformation, it must be more than symbolic. Uganda can learn from tree-planting successes across the Global South—where nations have turned such efforts into mass movements combining climate action, livelihoods, and cultural identity.

Global Lessons Uganda Can Learn From

1. Make It a Movement, Not Just a Day

Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is a stellar example. In 2019, Ethiopians planted over 353 million trees in a single day, contributing to over 40 billion trees planted since 2019 (Associated Press, 2025).

Lesson: Uganda could extend the planting into a National Tree Week, giving communities time to prepare, plant, and nurture seedlings—turning the campaign into a true national movement.

2. Focus on Survival, Not Just Numbers

The real success lies in the number of trees that survive, not just those planted. Ethiopia tracks survival rates and assigns caretaking responsibilities, though it has faced criticism for insufficient reporting and the use of non-native species.

Lesson: Uganda should adopt scientific monitoring, prioritise indigenous species, and ensure community-based stewardship.

3. Use Media & Influencers to Drive Awareness

Rwanda’s Umuganda initiative blends tree planting with national service, amplified through radio, social media, and mass mobilisation.

Lesson: Engage musicians, athletes, religious leaders, and media (for example, partnering with popular TV and FM radio station programmes) to inspire nationwide participation, backed by entertainment events, public walks, and sermons leading up to planting week.

4. Match Species to Ecology and Livelihoods

Kenya’s Tree Restoration Campaign aligns tree species with local ecosystems—using indigenous varieties for forests and fast-growing timber or fruit trees on farms.

Lesson: Uganda should tailor planting efforts to local environments and livelihood opportunities, ensuring ecological resilience, social acceptance and economic value.

5. Link Planting with Jobs and Income

Pakistan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami created green jobs, especially in rural areas, through nursery work, caretaking, and community forest management.

Lesson: Uganda can generate employment through the ROOTs campaign by empowering communities in tree production, monitoring, and care.

6. Celebrate Tree Planting as a Cultural Festival

India’s Van Mahotsav is a week-long “Great Forest Festival” held each July. Rooted in national history and spirituality, it mobilises schools, communities, and faith groups with music, storytelling, competitions, and education.

Lesson: Uganda can integrate tree planting with cultural expression—drawing from its 56 tribes (including vibrant and forward-looking traditional leaders) and diverse spiritual traditions to build a multi-generational, culturally resonant movement.

Conclusion: From Counting Trees to Cultivating Change

For Uganda, success must go beyond seedling counts. The ROOTs campaign must deliver measurable environmental impact, community ownership, and economic benefits. By embracing lessons from the Global South, Uganda can transform National Tree Planting Day into the beginning of a lasting restoration journey—one rooted in people, purpose, and planet.

References

· Associated Press (2025). Ethiopia to plant 700 million trees in a day | AP News: https://apnews.com/article/ethiopia-prime-minister-tree-planting-campaign-6658d3c115738702a6a679b0eea43f30

· CGIAR (2020). Ethiopia to grow 5 billion trees in the Second Green Legacy Campaign https://www.cgiar.org/news-events/news/ethiopia-to-grow-5-billion-trees-in-the-second-green-legacy-campaign/

· Government of Kenya (2025). National tree growing restoration campaign hits 780 million mark | Kenya News Agency https://www.kenyanews.go.ke/national-tree-growing-restoration-campaign-hits-780-million-mark/

· ROOTs Campaign (2025). Running Out of Trees https://www.linkedin.com/company/running-out-of-trees/posts/?feedView=all

· TotalEnergies (2023). Uganda Is Running Out of Trees: Partners Target To Grow 40 Million Trees this Year https://totalenergies.ug/uganda-running-out-trees-partners-target-grow-40-million-trees-year

· UNEP (2022). Pakistan’s Ten Billion Tree Tsunami https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/pakistans-ten-billion-tree-tsunami

· Van Mahotsav 2021: History, significance, celebrations and quotes https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/van-mahotsav-2021-history-significance-celebrations-and-everything-you-need-to-know-1821532-2021-07-01?utm_source=global-search&utm_medium=global-search&utm_campaign=global-search

Turning the Tide: Civil Society and Trade Unions Demand a Just Transition in Uganda’s Utilities

Photo: Kimbowa Richard

In a High Level meeting that was held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on August 20, 2025, that brought together representatives from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Trade Unions, Uganda Electricity and Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA), Mayors and Town clerks from towns and cities including Kampala, Jinja, Gulu, Hoima, Fort Portal, and Mbarara, CSOs and trade unions made a call for improvement in sustainability in key sectors and worker’s rights in Uganda

In a statement presented to the meeting, CSOs and trade unions noted that, ‘Despite progress achieved, such as structured engagements with KCCA on waste workers, advocacy on energy renationalisation, and improved community awareness, persistent gaps in policy, financing, enforcement and governance continue to undermine quality public service and workers’ rights’.

The CSOs and trade unions note that there are still several gaps in the various service sectors that need to be addressed urgently, not only in line with the Global Goals (Agenda 2030), but also to achieve the country's goal of attaining middle-income economy status. They had a particular focus on the water, electricity and waste management sector. 

On waste management, the CSOs and trade unions observed that the obsolete KCCA solid waste management Ordinance (2000) needs to be reviewed to clarify employer responsibilities between KCCA and the partner institutions – the Savings and credit Cooperative Societies (SACCOs) with whom they work, among other things, to define who the real employers of waste workers in Kampala are.

The CSOs and trade unions also highlighted the challenges of a high level of casualisation, precarity, and a lack of decent jobs for workers in this sector, as well as an over-reliance on the police for dispute resolution, which could be handled internally by KCCA. 

Furthermore, they noted that poor job security, inadequate personal protective equipment and lack of occupational health protection undermine the smooth operations in the waste management sector. 

The absence of comprehensive waste categorisation and inclusive policies, coupled with low pay for the waste workers that does not meet the tenets of decent work and ensure social protection, were also singled out as other challenges for the waste management sector.

As part of the recommendations, CSOs and trade unions urge policymakers & Government to review and replace the obsolete KCCA Solid Waste Ordinance, providing a clear legal definition of employer responsibility; and introduce comprehensive waste categorisation and public education campaigns (incorporating media outreach, training of trainers).

The CSOs and trade unions took note of the process launched by the Ministry of Local Government for a new solid waste management policy, where Raphael Magyezi, the Minister of Local Government, emphasised the importance of citizens adopting practical habits such as separating waste at source (the household level) and recycling. In this regard, the CSOs and trade unions call upon policymakers & Government to adopt a comprehensive waste management policy that is developed through a bottom-up approach involving unions, CSOs, and communities.

For the attention of Local Governments (city, municipal and town mayors), the CSOs and trade unions call for an increase in budget allocation to strengthen waste infrastructure, allocating adequate resources for the provision of personal protective equipment, health education and awareness campaigns. They also call upon local government to regularise waste workers within the framework of the Employment Act, recognising them as formal employees with rights and protections.

The CSO and trade unions’ statement also calls upon local governments to strengthen collaborative platforms with CSOs and unions, and enact local ordinances guiding waste management tailored to local contexts, put in place local ordinances to guide waste management in the various jurisdictions and to develop partnerships with the informal sector, especially the vendors, to find innovative and sustainable ways of waste management.

The CSO and trade unions’ statement was developed through a Public Services International (PSI) - German Trade Union Confederation (DGB Bildungs Werk) Project: Promoting Transparency and Decent Work in Supply Chains in Electricity, Water and Waste Services in Sub-Saharan Africa Phase II (2023–2025). 

In Uganda, PSI-affiliated trade unions in the water, waste, and electricity sectors have, since 2020, been actively engaging with relevant government ministries, local governments, including city mayors and other local authorities, through dialogues, to promote transparency in public service supply chains and ensure decent working conditions. Throughout the course of this initiative, PSI-affiliated trade unions have worked collaboratively with CSOs in the same sectors.

PAMOJA for the Planet: Can East Africa’s CHAN 2024 Football Tournament Tackle Climate Change and Environmental degradation?

 

In East Africa, football is more than a sport—it's a cultural force that unites millions across borders, classes, and generations. Major football tournaments, especially the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, command national attention and emotional investment.

The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) officially launched CHAN 2024 under the banner PAMOJA, a Swahili term meaning unity. According to CAFOnline.com, this edition of CHAN will be the largest ever, featuring nineteen teams. For the first time in history, it will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, with matches played in Zanzibar City, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, and Nairobi from 2 to 30 August 2025.

More than a slogan, PAMOJA embodies togetherness, shared ambition, and solidarity. It reflects the values that football embodies—teamwork, collaboration, and unity. In the same spirit, CHAN 2024 presents a rare and timely opportunity to address East Africa’s pressing environmental and climate challenges. The tournament can serve as a powerful vehicle to promote citizen-led environmental consciousness, sustainable consumption, and grassroots climate action.

A Platform for Environmental Awareness

Tournaments like CHAN 2024 attract millions of viewers across the continent, offering unparalleled visibility for climate-related messaging. Environmental campaigns can be integrated into match broadcasts, stadium branding, merchandise, and fan zones. Messages on reducing plastic use, conserving water, and climate resilience could be shared during halftime or pre-match programming (UNEP, 2021).

Footballers—widely admired across East Africa—can act as climate ambassadors. Players from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania could use their platforms to promote sustainable habits, such as using public transport, planting trees, and conserving energy. When these influencers advocate for the planet, fans are far more likely to follow (UNFCCC, 2022).

Modelling Sustainable Consumption

CHAN 2024 offers a stage to demonstrate real-world sustainable practices. CAF and local organisers ought to:

• Ban single-use plastics and/or promote their responsible disposal
• Promote reduction, recycling, and reuse of waste; and highlight other eco-friendly practices in places where fans, footballers and officials will be accommodated.
• Power stadiums with solar energy and incorporate energy efficiency and conservation equipment, and highlight good practices
• Offer locally sourced foods (especially plant–based) in support of the host economies

These actions can educate fans and vendors about the feasibility of low-impact living (CAF, 2022). Uganda’s stadiums could partner with eco-startups for biodegradable food packaging. Kenya might pilot clean energy buses for transporting fans. These are not just ideas—they’re scalable solutions.

Mobilising Grassroots Climate Action

Football can catalyse community-led environmental action. Local fan festivals that build on national-level momentum in the 3 host countries can include:

• Tree planting drives, for example, taking advantage of the Running out of Trees (ROOTs) Campaign in Uganda, whose ambition is to plant 40 Million Trees per year until 2026 for the first phase of the programme.
• Waste clean-ups, efficient water use and heightened community awareness to have clean and safe water in urban neighbourhoods
• Youth climate workshops and barazas in support of greener enterprises and practices

This strengthens community ownership of environmental solutions (Green Africa Foundation, 2023). Moreover, all nineteen teams in the CHAN 2024 finals, guided by CAF, could adopt an Environmental Charter in the spirit of PAMOJA, committing to sustainability on and off the pitch. After all, the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—won’t wait for us. We must act together, now. This should be treated in the same way as fair play, where a set of ethical principles and values guides players, coaches, officials, and fans to ensure a positive and respectful environment within football as a sport.

Driving Long-Term Change

To ensure lasting impact, East Africa’s football federations should collaborate with environmental NGOs, ministries, and international frameworks like the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework (Sport and Dev, 2022). Action areas include:

• Building green stadiums and other sports platforms in terms of energy, water and other resource use, sustainable consumption practices, and offering learning opportunities for all fans and other stakeholders during CHAN and other sports events.
• Embedding climate education in CHAN and other sports tournaments’ programming
• Promoting sustainable consumption at all levels of the sport during CHAN and other national and regional sports tournaments

By institutionalising sustainability, CHAN 2024 can set a precedent for climate-smart sports across the continent.

Conclusion

The TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024 is more than a celebration of African talent. It is a historic opportunity to show how football—East Africa’s most beloved game—can lead the way in tackling climate change and environmental degradation. Through unity (PAMOJA), football can inspire millions to build a greener, more sustainable future—and redefine what winning looks like, on and off the pitch!

References

• UNEP. (2021). Playing for the Planet: How Sports Can Deliver on Climate Goals. unep.org
• UNFCCC. (2022). Sports for Climate Action Framework. unfccc.int
• TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024
• CAF. (2022). CAF Environmental Sustainability Guidelines.
• Green Africa Foundation. (2023). Community Environmental Outreach through Sports.
• Sport and Dev. (2022). Sport and the Sustainable Development Goals. sportanddev.org

From Frying Pans to Fuel: How East Africa Can Turn Used Cooking Oil into a Clean Energy Resource

                                             Photo: ECOIL

Used cooking oil (UCO) is an unavoidable byproduct of food preparation, especially in the rapidly urbanising, multi-ethnic communities of East Africa. Yet, precise data on the total volume of UCO generated across the region remains scarce. Most available sources focus instead on edible oil consumption and revenue rather than waste collection or disposal.

For instance, according to Statista, the edible oil market in Eastern Africa is projected to generate approximately US$3.14 billion by 2025, with consumption expected to reach around 678 million kilograms by 2030. In Uganda alone, edible oil demand in 2021 stood at 120,000 metric tonnes, while local production reached only 40,000 metric tonnes, resulting in an annual deficit of 80,000 metric tonnes (Daily Monitor, January 2, 2021). This shortfall pushes consumers and vendors to stretch the use of cooking oil to its limits.

From bustling street vendors in growing cities to busy restaurant kitchens, large volumes of oil are used daily to meet East Africa’s increasing appetite for fried foods. But what happens once the oil is no longer suitable for cooking? This often-overlooked question has major implications for public health, environmental sustainability, and energy security.

The Environmental Cost of Improper Disposal

In many East African cities, used cooking oil is typically discarded by pouring it down drains or dumping it into open landfills. These methods carry serious environmental consequences. When introduced into drainage systems, UCO causes clogs, unpleasant odours, and contamination of water sources, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases (UNEP, 2021).

Urban centres like Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam are already grappling with complex waste management issues, and improper oil disposal only worsens the situation. Municipal infrastructure is rarely equipped to handle liquid waste like oil, meaning much of it ends up polluting natural ecosystems and driving up maintenance costs for public utilities.

Health Risks in the Informal Food Sector

Another pressing issue is the reuse and resale of used cooking oil, especially in informal food markets. Because of its lower cost, some small-scale vendors reuse oil multiple times or buy previously used oil from unregulated sources.

This practice is widespread in urban areas of Kenya and Uganda, where enforcement of food safety standards is often weak. Repeated heating of cooking oil produces harmful compounds such as acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—both linked to cancer, heart disease, and other health problems (WHO, 2019). Agencies like NEMA Uganda have flagged this as an emerging food safety concern, particularly in the street food sector (NEMA Uganda, 2020).

Emerging Solutions: Turning Waste into Energy

Despite these challenges, East Africa is beginning to explore more sustainable ways of handling UCO. A particularly promising approach is converting used oil into biodiesel.

In Kenya, environmental startups have started partnering with hotels and restaurants to collect used cooking oil and refine it into biofuel for use in vehicles and generators. For example, Zijani - a renewable energy brand owned and managed by Biogen Diesel Kenya Limited, aims at reclaiming UCO, Waste and Residues from bulk cooking institutions through a socially conscious business voice keen to relay one message that doing the right thing is important, it’s easy, and it’s profitable. Zijani cooperates with the HORECA industry (hotels, restaurants, catering), food processing companies and food delivery platforms. HORECA businesses can dispose of their UCO correctly through Zijani, contributing to a circular flow of waste disposal and generating an additional revenue stream.

In Tanzania, local environmental organisations in Dar es Salaam are working with city authorities to promote safe disposal practices and encourage the repurposing of UCO in non-food sectors. However, these efforts often remain limited in scale due to funding constraints and policy gaps.

Elsewhere, Cameroon offers an inspiring example. In Douala, a startup called Bellomar has successfully recycled waste cooking oil into affordable detergents and soap for homes and hospitals. They purchase used oil from restaurants, hotels, and companies, creating a circular economy that supports both public health and local entrepreneurship.

Internationally, cities like Dubai are pioneering large-scale solutions. The company Lootah collects up to 500,000 litres of used cooking oil every month, offering business owners a financial incentive through a user-friendly mobile app, which is converted into biodiesel (NLS Waste Services Ltd, 2023). Another Dubai-based initiative aims to scale this even further, turning UCO into clean fuel to reduce pollution, protect sewage systems, and support the Emirate’s transition to green energy (Khaleej Times, 2025).

Conclusion: From Pollutant to Resource

Although accurate data on used cooking oil in East Africa is still lacking, consumption trends suggest that the region generates tens to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of UCO annually. Factors like reuse rates and informal disposal make tracking difficult. To address this, targeted studies and data from national biofuel or environmental agencies are urgently needed.

Without proper systems in place, UCO will continue to pose health and environmental threats. But with increasing public awareness, entrepreneurial innovation, and government engagement, there is a clear opportunity to transform this waste into a valuable resource.

To unlock this potential, East African governments should invest in:

• Public education campaigns about safe disposal,
• Policy frameworks to regulate UCO reuse and resale,
• Incentives and partnerships with the private sector.

By reimagining used cooking oil as a tool for clean energy and economic development, the region can take a meaningful step toward a more sustainable and healthier future.

References:

·    Channels TV (2018).Cameroonian Entrepreneur Recycles Waste Cooking Oil Into Detergent and Soap | Eco@Africa| YouTube video

·         Daily Monitor (2021). Growth in the cooking oil sector is still low

·         Khaleej Times (2025). Dubai to convert used cooking oil into clean, renewable fuel

·  NEMA Uganda. (2020). Annual Environmental Report. National Environment Management Authority.

·         NLS Waste Services Ltd (2023). Turning Cooking Oil Into Fuel

·         Statista (2025). Edible Oils - Eastern Africa

·         UNEP. (2021). Waste Management Outlook for Africa. United Nations Environment Programme.

·   WHO. (2019). Health Risks Associated with Repeatedly Heated Cooking Oils. World Health Organisation.

·         Zijani (2024). Improving sustainable bio-feedstock waste collection

Why Cooking Traditions Matter in the Shift to Clean Energy in East Africa

Last week, I attended a regional civil society policy harmonisation dialogue on the East African Community’s Renewable Energy policy (organised by PACJA and WWF) in Nairobi, Kenya, that brought together participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda.

As part of this ground-breaking engagement process, we thrashed out barriers to the adoption of clean cooking in East Africa. One that stood out for me is the long-standing, culturally held cooking (culinary) practices among communities in this region.

For example, millions of households still cook using traditional methods such as open fires or charcoal stoves. These methods pose serious health risks, particularly for women and children, and contribute to environmental degradation. Clean cooking technologies—like improved cookstoves, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), and electric alternatives—offer safer and more efficient solutions. However, despite their benefits, adoption remains slow. One important reason is the deep connection between local culinary practices and how food is traditionally prepared.

So, cooking in East Africa is not just about making meals—it’s a cultural experience. Foods like ugali in Kenya and Tanzania, injera in Ethiopia, and matoke in Uganda are deeply rooted in family and communal traditions. Many of these dishes require specific cooking techniques, like long boiling, heavy stirring, or grilling over an open flame, which traditional stoves handle well (Troncoso et al., 2019). One participant noted that, ‘In my culture, a fireplace is a sign of life in a home’. While another one reported that in central Uganda, cooking matoke with firewood (and charcoal) provides food with a special aroma that the one prepared with e-cooking lacks.

But clean stoves often struggle to replicate these methods. For instance, making chapati or grilling nyama choma (roasted meat) on an LPG or electric stove may not produce the same flavour or texture. Taste is a major factor in food preferences, and when clean cooking changes the way meals taste, families are less likely to make the switch (Ochieng et al., 2020).

Another challenge is equipment compatibility. Traditional East African cooking often involves large pots and pans that may not fit on smaller, modern stoves. In some cases, these stoves are designed for entirely different types of cooking, which can discourage users from adopting them (Berkeley Air Monitoring Group, 2018).

Also, social factors play a role. Women are usually responsible for cooking and experience the harmful effects of smoke, but men often control household finances. This disconnect can delay or prevent investment in cleaner technologies (WHO, 2022). Additionally, many clean stoves require changes in cooking routines or training, which can be a barrier if women are already stretched for time.

In addition, community influence matters too. If neighbours or relatives have a bad experience with a clean stove—such as difficulty cooking staple foods—the entire community may be less inclined to try it. Conversely, when respected community members demonstrate that clean stoves work well for local dishes, others are more likely to follow (Clean Cooking Alliance, 2021).

To encourage widespread adoption, clean cooking solutions must be culturally appropriate. That means designing stoves that accommodate local cooking styles and utensils, and involving women in the design and promotion process. Cooking demonstrations, peer-to-peer training, and local champions can also build trust and acceptance.

Therefore, clean cooking is not just a technical fix—it’s a social and cultural transition. When developers and policymakers recognise the importance of food traditions and cooking habits, they can create solutions that meet people where they are. Only then can East Africa move toward healthier homes and a cleaner environment.

References

• Berkeley Air Monitoring Group. (2018). Improved Cookstove Field Studies in Africa.
• Clean Cooking Alliance. (2021). Understanding Consumer Preferences in Clean Cooking.
• Ochieng, C., et al. (2020). Cultural Factors in the Adoption of Clean Cooking in Kenya. Energy Research & Social Science.
• Troncoso, K., et al. (2019). Beyond Technology: Influencing Clean Cooking Adoption through Culture. World Development.
• World Health Organisation. (2022). Household Air Pollution and Health.