The evolution of the Kibuga into Kampala's city centre - analysis of the transformation of an African city

Abstract

The Kibuga was the capital of the Buganda Kingdom at the time the British declared a protectorate over this very well organised kingdom in 1900. The Kibuga comprised of the king’s palace at the centre of the settlement, surrounded by the villas of the chiefs and other members of the royal family. The Kibuga was very well structured, with radial and concentric streets in relation to the king’s palace, all organically set in the natural environment. This paper seeks to disprove the common belief that African cities have developed as transplants of architectural and planning styles from Europe. The paper is based on a study that was carried out through the study of archival documents, literature reviews and physical observation involving photography and sketching. The study revealed the overwhelming influence of urban concepts from the Kibuga on the development of Kampala’s city centre.