Uganda plans to move its administrative capital from Kampala to Nakasongola in phases, with the full process potentially taking place until 2040. State Minister for Urban Development – Margaret Muhanga told Parliament that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni strongly supports the plan.
Selected ministries and government agencies will move first. The plan aims to ease Kampala’s traffic and overcrowding. Though, Kampala will remain Uganda’s main commercial city.
Muhanga told the Lands and Housing Committee on Wednesday, July 12, 2026 that government will begin by relocating selected ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), with the wider transition expected to run up to 2040.
“The plan is aimed at tackling Kampala’s worsening congestion, poor urban planning and pressure on infrastructure,” said Muhanga.
She added, “Who is happy living in this city? I am not. We lose $1.6 billion annually due to this traffic jam. People have to wake up at 4am to make it to work at 8am. That is insane, Kampala is unliveable, it is unchangeable, it is untenable, and we must move out of it.”
Uganda 🇺🇬 plans to move its administrative capital from Kampala to Nakasongola in phases, with the full process potentially taking until 2040.
State Minister for Urban Development Margaret Muhanga told Parliament that President Museveni supports the plan.
Selected ministries… pic.twitter.com/d5jTHpHCoM
— Africa View Facts (@AfricaViewFacts) August 13, 2026
Muhanga further stated that the government had considered relocating the capital to established regional cities such as Mbarara, Fort Portal and Gulu, but rejected the idea because some of them already face urban planning challenges similar to Kampala. She, however, said that Nakasongola offers a chance to build a modern and well-planned administrative centre from scratch.
“Nakasongola is more centrally located, underpopulated and we have a lot of land there. That is where we had decided to shift and the president was so much in for this capital shift,” added Muhanga.
The minister said the move would be gradual rather than an overnight relocation. “You don’t start it in one day. It can go up to 2040. Actually, it is in our Vision 2040 that we start slowly, moving different ministries, departments and agencies,” she noted.
She said the government is very much aware that this proposal has sparked concern among Kampala property owners, who fear that moving government offices could leave commercial buildings without tenants and weaken the city’s economy.
Muhanga dismissed the fears and said that Kampala would remain an important commercial centre even after the administrative shift. She stated, “Right now everyone is scared of what will happen to Kampala, that their buildings will not be rented. But Kampala will be here, nobody will lose anything.”
The Committee Chairperson – Edson Rugumayo backed the proposal but demanded a clear implementation plan and noted that the idea of moving the capital has been discussed for years without significant action.