Uganda's physical planning society elects new leaders

The Society of Professional Physical Planners Planners of Uganda (SPPPU) elected new leaders on Friday, as the government moves to organize all physical planners under one professional body.

The nine-member council is headed by Charles Nampendho.

It will be charged with steering the affairs of physical planning in Uganda for the next three years.

In the election for the council members, Nampendho beat off competition from Prof John Barugahare, obtaining 132 votes against his rival's 79.

The election took place at Mestil Hotel in Kampala during the inaugural general meeting of SPPPU.

Across section of the former interim team of the Society of Professional Physicals Planner of Uganda during the elections of the new leadership.

Also elected were Stella Mudondo and Hafsa Namuli, who became council members. These joined Polycarp Ejotu and Eric Negosha, who had earlier been announced as unopposed.

Others are treasurer Martin Kigozi for treasurer and secretary Moses Ogutu.

Vicent Byandaimira and Amanda Ngabirano are also members on the council.

The team will replace the interim executive council that has been at the helm since last year.

The interim council was commissioned by the lands ministry in 2023 under Section 23 (5) of the Physical Planners Registration Act 2023, mandating them to organise elections within one year.

According to Ngabirano, who is also the chairperson of the National Physical Planning Board, the latest development is one of the steps to increase accountability for the works of physical planners and eliminate shoddy physical planners.

Speaking to reporters at Uganda Media Centre on Thursday, she said physical planning has "everything to do with how land should be utilized and, therefore, there is no room for activities of quacks".

Ngabirano said quack practitioners are partly to blame for the haphazard development of particularly towns in Uganda, where urbanization rates generally outstrip planning due to resource limitation.

The SPPU will now organize all physical planners under one professional society just as the Uganda Law Society is for lawyers.

That way, it is hoped there will be more order and professionalism in the physical planning practice.