Urbanization and the environment of Nansana town council in Wakiso District.

Abstract

The study focused on the relationship between urbanization and the environment set to examine the growth and development of Nansana Town Council and the effects of urbanization on the environment. The study traced the evolution of Nansana Town Council, examined factors responsible for its growth and development as well as effects of urbanization on the environment. A cross sectional research design was adopted and primary data was collected using oral interview, field observations and in depth interviews supplemented by secondary data. A total of 127 respondents including residents in the area before 2005, Town Council technical staff and local council leaders were interviewed. Data collected was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used. Nansana derived its name from a female ghost “Nansaana” who was worshipped by Nakku - the Queen mother who lived in Kakuule forest around 1300. From Nansana village, it became a parish, trading centre and eventually a Town Council in 2007. The growth of Nansana Town Council was due to general increase in urban population size and settlements, administrative extension of the boundaries, and a favorable land tenure system. While the development was due to close proximity to Kampala city, planned settlements, favorable government policy, service delivery and economic progress. Urbanization of Nansana Town Council impacted positively and negatively on its environment. Positively, there is garbage collection, improvement on water and sanitation, construction of drainage channels and tree planting. Due to uncontrolled urbanization, environmental degradation is occurring very rapidly and causing many problems like; poor sanitation system, solid waste accumulation, wetland degradation, pollution, destruction of natural vegetation and land degradation which all have affected the environmental components like air water, wetland and vegetation, thus necessitating suggestion of mitigation measures for these negative effects on the environment.