Building Cities of Semi Sovereigns: Boundaries of Citizens Co-Creation in Emerging Cities in Uganda

Abstract

There is a growing enthusiasm for several emerging cities in Uganda. This urbanization impetus is both an auto-response to on-going economic growth and development but also a move toward realization of the National Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goal eleven (SDG11). This theoretical paper, which draws from secondary sources, reviews the aims and approaches to rapid cities' creation in Uganda. There is a recognition that the present nature of cities has increasingly become assemblages of the sites, actors, relationships, and networks within the fast-emerging technologies and changing environment, which dictate the departure from traditional ways of city planning and governance to incorporate methods of increased citizen engagement. Citizens should not only be limited in the running city structure as political leaders or service beneficiaries (passive actors) but also be actively involved in the co-creation and administration of the new cities. There is also a need for proper legislation to guide the development and management of the new cities and to minimize infrastructure and resource constraints resulting from inadequate city top-down planning processes.