Assessment of how establishment of industries in Kampala city respects physical planning standards: a case study of Nakawa industrial area.

Abstract

Industry is defined as general manufacturing, processing, assembling, handling, storing of products and materials. Industrial activity can be classified into light, general, heavy and special uses depending on scale, noise, effluents, appearance, nature of materials, and many more others and separate areas may be zoned for these different types of industry. Small scale enterprises such as crafts, maize mills, tailoring workshops, carpentry, bicycle and shoe repairs, tinsmiths, and many others are generally regarded as service industries which can be located in commercial areas. Industrial development will only be permitted in areas zoned for such purposes. Apart from the Public Health Act and other laws, industrial buildings and installations must conform to the standards set out in the Factories Act, and all industrial development proposals must be referred to relevant approving organs, including NEMA, Uganda Investment Authority and Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development. Industrial activities may have to be licensed by the responsible local government and institutions. Industrial development is an integral and important part of the Government‟s overall development strategy. This development strategy is to be achieved through transforming Uganda into a modern and Industrial Country through, among other things; adding value by processing to reduce post-harvest losses and by increasing exports of higher value products, especially from agricultural and mineral resources. Industrialization also offers greater prospects for increased employment, more export earnings, wider tax base, increased purchasing power, increased integration with Agriculture, product diversification, greater efficiency, and technical skills for modernization and higher productivity throughout the whole economy. While significant growth has been registered over the last 15 years, the recent manufacturing performance has been less than average. This reflects, in part, the continuing presence of binding constraints, especially insufficient hydroelectric power, poor transport infrastructure and weak institutional frame work for industrial development. In turn, these constraints have resulted in less investment in the sector and less adjustment and integration along the value chains. Uganda currently faces a challenge of how to transform econ