 | The Jinja City Development Strategy is officially launched by the Jinja Mayor, the area MP and UN-HABITAT officials. |
The Ugandan city of Jinja on the shores of Lake Victoria has launched a new City Development Strategy aimed at transforming it into "a sustainable and prosperous city with excellence in tourism, commerce and industry". At a colourful ceremony last month attended by the town mayor, the area member of parliament, the regional youth member of parliament, and the district chairman among other dignitaries and residents of Jinja, the development strategy, which is the result of an inclusive and participatory process started in 2007 was officially launched amidst much pomp and glamour. UN-HABITAT was represented by Senior Human Settlements Officer Mr. David Kithakye and Human Settlements Officer Ms. Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga. Ms. Njenga in brief remarks called for the transformation of Jinja into a viable economic, political, social and well-governed city for the benefit of the Lake Victoria region and EastAfrica. Mr. Kithakye said that Jinja had the potential to be the industrial powerhouse of the region because of its location, but only if it could tap into its enormous resource endowment by incorporating the Strategy into all the municipal council’s activities. The people of Jinja, and ultimately the Ugandan economy would be the beneficiaries, he added. Mayor Mohammed Kezala, declared that the municipality had now achieved a milestone in its long journey towards attaining a City Status. His call for Jinja to be elevated to a city was supported by the area member of parliament Mr. Nathan Babeta, the Eastern Region Youth member of parliament Mr. Zake Kibedi, and the Jinja District Chairman, Rt. Lt. Hannington Basakana who all applauded the efforts by the Jinja stakeholders to prioritize their development needs and aspirations in the strategic document. |
