On April 22, 2024, a delegation of Jinja city officials traveled to the Netherlands to learn about the non-motorized transport system. The 10-day trip included Mr. Charles Nampendo, the Jinja city physical planner, Mr. David Eremye, the city engineer, and Mr. Hanest Nabihamba, the city principal environment officer. This visit was organized by Cycling out of Poverty (Coop-Uganda), an organization that promotes cycling.
The delegation toured several Dutch cities to observe how bicycles are effectively used for transportation. On June 17, 2023, the officials shared their insights at a stakeholder meeting in Jinja city hall. They discussed how these systems could be implemented in Jinja, a city in Eastern Uganda at the source of the Nile.
Led by Ms. Marieke De Wild, the head of Coop-Uganda, the officials explained how cycling is widely accepted in the Netherlands. People of all ages, genders, and professions use bicycles without any stigma.
“All inhabitants at least have one bicycle. Most households own one to two cars. We observed that there exists no stigma for the bicycle users, and it is popular to everyone, be it age, gender, and profession,” Marieke said.
Marieke, a traffic engineer, highlighted that traffic education starts in schools in the Netherlands. Students are taught and tested on road usage, with traffic education included in the school curriculum. Schoolchildren ride their bicycles to school together, unlike in Uganda where children typically use vehicles.
In Houten city, the Jinja officials met Mr. Andre Botermans, the city’s physical planner. He explained that Houten became a cycling haven due to decisions made 50 years ago. Botermans noted that cycling infrastructure is much cheaper than car infrastructure.
“Mr. Botermans had several quotes he gave us. He quoted that – it is cheap because car infrastructure is 10 times more expensive than cycling infrastructure,” Marieke shared.
Mr. David Eremye, the Jinja city engineer, suggested adopting the Netherlands’ digital transport system. In the Netherlands, misbehaving drivers are apprehended through surveillance cameras, reducing the need for traffic officers to mount roadblocks. Eremye emphasized the need for community sensitization about the benefits of cycling.
“Cameras are everywhere on roads. If a driver misbehaves, they are apprehended. There are no animals intruding around cities, but the problem here is that even residents have a negative attitude towards cycling,” Eremye said.
The meeting established a committee to oversee the implementation of the new transport system in Jinja. This committee includes technical authorities led by the Deputy City Clerk, Mr. Peter Mawerere, and political figures such as Mayor Peter Okocha Kasolo and council speaker Mr. Benard Mbayo. The committee will also include a representative from public health.
Mr. Benard Mbayo stressed the importance of involving political leaders in the decision-making process to ensure the successful implementation of the cycling system.
With these insights and plans, Jinja aims to embrace cycling as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation, improving the city’s infrastructure and quality of life for its residents.
