BreatheLife Member

Kampala, Uganda

Back to all Network Members
Photo by Lauren Parnell Marino

Kampala is a bustling East African city of over 1.5 million residents, with another 2 million people commuting into Uganda’s centre for commerce and administration each day. Its Climate Action Plan, developed with the French government, includes strategies and actions that would have direct and indirect impacts on air quality. While the national government is in charge of some sectors crucial to air quality, such as transport, the Kampala Capital City Authority takes ongoing measures to control air pollution, including developing low-carbon mass transit systems, urban planning with a focus on sustainable modes of transport, an emphasis on boosting energy efficiency, an increase in the use of renewable energy and action to improve indoor air quality. The city battles air pollution from traffic congestion and industry, as well as indoor air pollution from the use of charcoal and firewood for cooking. Kampala’s population is expected to grow 103 per cent by 2030 and become one of the world’s megacities by 2050.

Kampala Capital City Authority recognises the importance of good urban air quality to public health and liveability of Kampala, and we want it to continue to be comfortable and welcoming. That’s why we have taken specific steps to cut air pollution, including transitioning our street lighting network to solar and increasing the use of LED lights, we’ve recently started the process of establishing the first phase of a light-rail mass transit system, and we’ve focused on installing cleaner institutional cook stoves in public schools and markets and encouraging the use of briquettes as an alternative to charcoal and firewood. We also have an anti-pollution taskforce that works with industries to implement production and resource efficiencies and control industrial pollution. We hope to raise awareness of the causes and health impacts of air pollution as well as our efforts and commitments to curb it.”

Peter Kaujju, Ag. Deputy Director, Public and Corporate Affairs, Kampala Capital City Authority
The Air Pollution in

Kampala , Uganda

Member BreatheLife
0
11.4x
THE SAFE LEVEL PM2.5 annual exposure*

*PM 2.5 concentrations measured in micrograms of particles per cubic meter of air (µg/m3) Data: WHO Global Platform on Air Quality & Health

WHO Guideline (10)Lowest level at which premature mortality risk increases in response to long-term exposure

Interim target 1 (35)Associated with 15% higher premature mortality relative to the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m3

Interim target 2 (25)Associated with 6% lower premature mortality risk relative to Interim Target 1 (35 µg/m3)

Interim target 3 (15)Associated with 6% lower premature mortality risk relative to Interim Target 2 (25 µg/m3)

More about the data

Air Quality & Health Burden Uganda

31,160 Annual Deaths from air pollution
Outdoor AIR POLLUTION

Leading Killer

Acute lower respiratory infection

National Air Quality

57

annual average PM 2.5

Household AIR POLLUTION

Leading Killer

Acute lower respiratory infection

Child Deaths (0-5yrs)

8078

per year

LATEST ON THE JOURNEY TO 2030: