MOVE Mobility engages in ACTIVE Capacity Building in Uganda

ACTIVE Capacity Building is an initiative of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. For this training the Netherlands Enterprise Agency collaborates with Lotte Olthof (Goudappel), Tonny Bosch (MOVE Mobility) and Amanda Ngabirano (MOVE Mobility Uganda).

ACTIVE (Alliance for Cycling and Walking Towards International Vitality and Empowerment) unites leading stakeholders in the field of active mobility – walking and cycling – with one clear mission: to train 10,000 experts worldwide over the next ten years, empowering cities and regions to create healthier and more sustainable mobility systems.

ACTIVE trainings help communities become more walk- and cycle-friendly by addressing three key areas: hardware (infrastructure), software (awareness and education), and orgware (institutional cooperation). Participants learn to identify good and bad examples of each in their region. The ultimate goal is to create safe, inclusive networks for walking and cycling—accessible to people of all ages and abilities, similar to those in the Netherlands.

Shaping the future in Gulu and Kampala

After kicking off in Jinja, we expanded the training sessions to Gulu and Kampala this September.

We started the training in Gulu, a young city that earned its city status in 2020.

Walking is already common and cycling is growing, yet often seen as transport for lower-income groups. Gulu’s leaders want to change that perception. Political and technical teams joined forces, showing strong determination to make active mobility a central part of the city’s growth. The energy during the training was contagious. Participants embraced the challenge, and the Mayor of Gulu set the tone by cycling during the city’s first car-free day—a clear sign that Gulu is ready to move forward.

The training in Kampala, as well as in Gulu, focused on network planning and safe street design. Here, too, the training concluded with a graduation ceremony and a car-free day. Seeing Kampala’s streets come alive was truly uplifting! When we give space back to people walking and cycling, streets become places for people, not just for traffic. The cities’ joyful atmosphere was proof of that!

More information

www.movemobility.nl

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Liberia inception mission

In the second half of July, DASUDA lead partner CDR International kicked-off the Liberia Urban Resilience Project with an intensive Inception Mission. We support the Ministry of Public Works of Liberia in implementing this The World Bank-funded project, aiming to improve urban resilience in four flood-prone areas of Greater Monrovia —Northern Bushrod Island, Omega Market Area, Central Monrovia, and Southeastern Paynesville. The project addresses site-specific hydraulic challenges and systemic gaps in water management and urban planning.

The project consists of the following tasks:

• Carry out detailed flood risk assessments of the areas
• Developing urban resilience plans, focusing on participative approach, and selecting flood resilience and community infrastructure services;
• Developing preliminary and detailed designs for mitigation measures
• Preparing Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs)
• Providing procurement support to the Client.

CDR International and joint-venture partner Earthtime lead this multidisciplinary initiative, supported by DASUDA partner VE-R landscape and urbanism, Deltares, Geo2, and various other specialists.

During the mission and multiple site visits before and after the formal Inception Programme, we were reminded of the value of having boots on the ground, especially in such complex and dynamic urban settings. With Monrovia receiving some of the highest annual rainfall globally, its low-lying deltaic terrain, combined with rapid urbanization and informal development, poses severe challenges for drainage and resilience infrastructure.

This project is a typical DASUDA project which aims to tackle these challenges by combining technical flood risk management with community-centered urban upgrading. Its dual approach includes (1) improving critical drainage infrastructure through blue-green-grey solutions—such as stormwater retention zones, vegetated wetlands, and engineered drainage—and (2) upgrading public facilities in vulnerable areas, including markets, sanitation systems, public lighting, water kiosks, and recreational spaces.

Our visits led to various new insights into the local hydrological systems and deepened our understanding of the socio-economic and urban fabric of the study areas. With the local knowledge of Earthtime and John C. II. Mayson, and regular visits from international experts, we continue to work towards a safer, more flood-resilient Monrovia, where community-supported infrastructure and integrated planning reduce vulnerability and protect livelihoods.

 #UrbanResilience #FloodMitigation #Monrovia #WorldBank #Liberia #CDRInternational #DASUDA #SustainableCities #ClimateAdaptation

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Advancing Flood-Resilient and Transit-Oriented Development Along the Nairobi Commuter Rail

CDR International, leading a consortium of DASUDA partners—VE-R, Move Mobility, and Rebel—is finalizing Activity 3 and 4 in the ongoing Flood Risk Management Study for the Nairobi Commuter Rail. This Study is commissioned under the Kenya Urban Mobility Improvement Project (KUMIP) and supported by the World Bank and Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC).

This project addresses two critical challenges for Nairobi’s rapidly expanding urban population: flooding and mobility issues. The Nairobi Commuter Rail (NCR) system serves as a vital public transport backbone connecting key residential areas like Ruiru, Syokimau, Embakasi, and Kikuyu to the city centre. However, frequent service disruptions due to flooding threaten the reliability of this essential infrastructure—undermining economic productivity and public confidence in rail as a viable alternative to road transport.

After carrying out a detailed flood risk assessment of the rail infrastructure and surrounding areas, Activities 3 and 4 focus on delivering strategic, pre-feasibility-level solutions to strengthen the commuter rail system’s flood resilience and support sustainable urban development in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area (NMA).

• Activity 3 has resulted in a comprehensive Flood Risk Management Plan for the entire commuter rail system. The plan provides prioritized recommendations—both structural and non-structural—to guide future investments in flood mitigation. These measures aim to reduce vulnerabilities, improve asset durability, and ensure continuity of operations during extreme weather events.
• Activity 4 applies these insights to three critical commuter hubs along the Thika Line—Githurai, Mwiki, and Kariobangi South. This phase introduces urban flood mitigation strategies that integrate with Transit-Oriented Development (ToD) principles. Draft guidelines developed for these stations provide a framework for scaling DRM-informed urban planning to other rail nodes across Nairobi.

Importantly, the plans for both activities were developed in close collaboration with national and local stakeholders. During a series of dedicated engagement workshops, stakeholders identified and evaluated potential interventions using a multi-criteria analysis approach—ensuring that proposed solutions reflect local priorities, feasibility, and long-term impact.

Using open data, government inputs, and a high-resolution terrain model, the study identifies strategic interventions that align with Kenya’s goals for resilient infrastructure and inclusive mobility. These outputs will inform future design and investment decisions, ensuring that flood risk is not displaced but responsibly managed.

By addressing the intersection of flood resilience, mobility, and urban planning, this project contributes meaningfully to Nairobi’s long-term sustainability, economic performance, and quality of life.

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Green City Kigali, Rwanda

Location: Kigali, Rwanda
Project type: Smart Mobility Planning
Year: 2023-ongoing
Client: FONERWA/CGCK Kigali; submitting consultant FBW Rwanda Ltd, leading consultant FCB Studios UK; funder KfW Development Bank Germany
Consortium partners: FCB Studios UK and FBW Rwanda Ltd

The goal of the project is to create a model community in Kigali that demonstrates and establishes a new national and regional standard for sustainable urban development by promoting urban resilience and affordable housing. Building green is “a necessity, not a luxury” and it will feature a range of initiatives, including the use of renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, wastewater management, recycling and reuse of water and sustainable transport solutions. The development will provide much-needed quality housing for low- to moderate-income people. The project site is located on Kinyinya Hill in the northeastern part of Kigali’s central business district and covers an area of about 600 hectares. It will be home to 150,000 residents. The pilot phase of the project is 16 hectares.

MOVE Mobility is part of a consortium tasked with delivering the Kigali Green City project in the Rwandan capital. We have been hired as mobility experts and are engaged in validating the results of the Master Plan, and providing detailed designs for the pilot phase.

Together with the local team of FBW we began the project with communication sessions on “Mobility”. Topics covered included public transport (BRT), walking and cycling, and the expected growth of the private car. What are the ideas of the community about connecting neighborhoods with different modes of transportation and with what kind of roads? What does the community view as their priority and how should the interventions be phased?

We validated the network serving Kinyinya & Kigali. A Kinyinya Upper Loop Road (green) links the centre of individual neighbourhoods across the hill. The multi-modal loop encourages pedestrians, motos, local buses, and non-motorized transport to travel seamlessly around Kinyinya Hill, stimulating localized activities, enterprise, and employment. A Bus Rapid Transport (pink) network provides a quick and reliable public transport network to connect Kinyinya with the wider city. The natural topography of Kinyinya Hill has slopes of 1:4 to 1:8. A network of accessible streets slicing diagonally across the hill of 1:12 gradients has been created.

We have used our tool Move Meter to develop and visualize the networks for all modes in 2022 and 2035.

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DASUDA hosts participatory design workshop with farmers in Kitui

VE-R and Africa Wood Grow recently hosted a participatory design workshop in Kawongo with local community members, including farmers, to develop a resilience-building intervention. The farmers’ engagement was remarkable—they actively participated in every step of the design process.

The workshop began by exploring a range of measures such as agroforestry, beekeeping, sand dams, and more, evaluating their impact on the community and the ecosystem. Together, we developed an integrated solution. The farmers identified water access as a critical need, especially in upstream areas, as it enables other investments in the value chain of products.

Kawongo faces severe water shortages during the dry season, exacerbated by vegetation loss, soil degradation, and erosion on steep slopes, making agriculture increasingly difficult. Climate change has worsened these conditions, causing longer, unpredictable dry periods that threaten farmers’ food security. Access to water is limited to kiosks, dams, boreholes, and sand dams, with community members often spending hours walking to and waiting at water sources. During droughts, farmers face difficult choices: pay for water, risk crop failure, or spend the entire day fetching free water from the Tiva riverbed, 1-5 km away.

During the workshop, participants proposed an intervention centered on a shared farm pond serving approximately five households. This pond would be complemented by agroforestry, cover crops, and terracing to reduce siltation, improve water quality, and maximize its effectiveness.

Last month, we refined the design and are eager to implement it this October before the rainy season starts. The farm pond will be monitored throughout the rainy season to gather insights for further improvements. We hope this prototype will inspire other stakeholders to enhance water security throughout the Kitui region.

The GRASSROOTS project is funded by de Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie

More information

https://ve-r.nl/

https://africawoodgrow.org/

josje@ve-r.nl

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National Teacher Colleges awarded Architizer A+ Awards 2022

Studio Akeka, lead partner of DASUDA, in cooperation with Oubuntu Consulting, has been honoured with the public award in the category ‘Architecture for Good’ for their National Teachers Colleges (NTC) project in Uganda. The project involves a significant campus renovation and construction of new facilities at two education locations near the towns of Kaliro and Mubende.

The A+ Awards recognizes extraordinary work of the world’s best firms, highlighting the work of pioneering architects and designers that strives to create architecture that will stand the test of time. The ‘Architecture + for Good’ category celebrates projects and architects that address societal challenges in collaboration with communities.

The NTC encompasses 24 renovated and 8 new buildings, providing education to approx. 2000 students, housing for students and teachers, classrooms, energy-efficient kitchens, sports facilities, sustainable energy facilities, waste recycling and food production. The design process began in 2019, and construction has recently been completed. Notably, the NTC project is acknowledges as climate-responsive design best practice in Uganda.

The NTC encompasses indoor and outdoor spaces, incorporating indigenous artisan technologies and prioritizes green spaces, biodiversity preservation and water protection. It uses locally available material such as bamboo and earth bricks which encourages community participation. The architecture emphasizes natural lighting, ventilation, and passive cooling, resulting in thermally comfortable spaces with reduced energy consumption. Furthermore, the project demonstrates cost-effective maintenance, reduction in project costs and shorter implementation period. Remarkably, the buildings maintain a cool interior temperature without the need of air conditioning. DASUDA is immensely proud and honoured to have received this award.

More information

– National Teachers College, Mubende

– Architizer

–Studio Akeka

– Oubuntu Consulting

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DASUDA will present Msimbazi project at IFLA conference

VE-R, lead partner of DASUDA, is invited to facilitate a Round Table / Workshop at the IFLA World Congress 2023 to be held September 28-29, 2023. The focus of this engaging workshop will be River and City Park Design in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We will take this invaluable opportunity to share and exchange knowledge on the Lower Msimbazi Upgrading Plan (LMUP) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. By participating in the IFLA World Congress 2023, VE-R and DASUDA are excited to contribute to the global dialogue on sustainable urban development and foster collaboration towards realizing better African cities.

The IFLA World Congress is organized by the International Federation of Landscape Architects, attracting global professionals who want to participate in creating a sustainable built environment. The 2023 edition of the IFLA World Congress will take place in both Sweden and Kenya. The workshop on LMUP will take place in Nairobi, Kenya.

The selection of LMUP for the workshop is a testament to its relevance to the conference theme “Emergent Interaction”. This theme aims to explore ‘emerging forms of collective problem solving, networks of ideas and borderless strategies in order to find new solutions to the urgent issues of climate change, social inequality and biodiversity’.* LMUP address these critical issues while showcasing contextual relationship, innovation, sustainability, originality and quality of spatial design.

It also relates to all three subthemes of the IFLA conference by 1) stakeholder involvement on all levels, realized through a ‘Charette process’ 2) a site-specific approach, while also considering global effects of climate change and international best practices, and 3) an integrated approach through joint efforts of a multi-cultural (Dutch and Tanzanian) and -disciplinary team.

Josje Hoefsloot, representative from DASUDA and VE-R, will be presenting the LMUP project during the conference. Her presentation will emphasize the project’s achievements so far in public space design, flood resiliency, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) networks, and biodiversity. Long term collaboration with CDR International, also lead partner of DASUDA, has led to a very special project. We would like to warmly invite all our friends and partners who will be present in Nairobi during this period to join us in this discussion. For further details, kindly reach out to Josje, on this matter.  

More information

Lower Msimbazi Upgrading Plan

VE-R landscape architecture and urbanism

josje@ve-r.nl

– IFLA Congress 2023IFLA 2023 – IFLA2023

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National Teachers College, Mubende

Location: Mubende, Uganda
Project type: Renovation and expansion of school campus
Year: 2018-2022
Client: Ministry of Education and Sport, Enabel
Consortium partners: Studio Akeka, Ubuntu, VE-R
Award: ‘Popular Choice Winner’ Architizer A+ Awards 2022

The education campuses in the Ugandan towns of Kaliro and Mubende have undergone major renovation and expansion with the addition of about eight new buildings. Both campus projects are part of a national programme to improve education in Uganda by training a new generation of teachers. Besides educational facilities, also good and healthy housing, leisure activities, nutritious food and natural hygiene are part of this ambition. Offering students and teachers this broad perspective, inside and outside the classroom, creates a culture with natural engagement and balance with the living environment. Besides utilizing facilities, the project is based on a vision of ‘living the example’. The careful integration of the new buildings and the simple but well-thought-out manner of construction gives space to students and teachers and depicts the idea well of the national education programme for Uganda.

This sustainable, holistic vision was the starting point for the renovation and new construction at both locations. Existing trees and planting, working routes and rituals were integrated into the master plan for both. Wherever possible, we made existing qualities visible and strengthened them. Our guiding principles were the old cultural and physical characteristics of the site and current uses, combined with adding the most logical interventations.

The Mubende site for the teachers college was already strongly organized by the central lane. By further enhancing this to become the spine of all activity and connector of the existing renovated buildings and the new ones, the development uses the green quality of the site to its best. The buildings, existing and new, are all naturally ventilated and cooled. Precisely oriented ‘zigzag’ facades minimise the incidence of direct sunlight and heat. Wherever possible, the buildings have been constructed with the help of local craftsmen from local materials such as earth bricks and bamboo. At the Mubende site the new Resource Centre is the most outspoken building with indoor study facilities, transitional spaces under the large roof and it forms the backdrop of the central field in front as outdoor space.

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Coastal Vulnerability & Protection for Monrovia Metropolitan Area

Location: Monrovia, Liberia
Project type: Vulnerability analysis, Feasibility study and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
Year: 2018-2019
Client: UNDP
Consortium partners: CDR international, IHE Delft, Earthtime Liberia, Dryfeet, Shore Monitoring & Research

Coastal communities and infrastructure in Monrovia are vulnerable to climate change induced coastal hazards. Up to 2018 over 670 households are reported to have been displaced due to coastal retreat, which is the main coastal hazard causing impact. This project encompassed a detailed Vulnerability Analysis, Feasibility Study and ESAR for Climate Resilient Strategies, including adaptive and protective measures for the coast Monrovia.

In the first phase, detailed numerical modelling of ocean conditions and coastal erosion for different climate change scenarios was done. Based on this, the most vulnerable communities were located, namely at Westpoint and New Kru town.

Together with the local stakeholders a Multi Criteria Workshop was done to evaluate several alternative coastal protection schemes. The results of the project has a twofold approach to addressing climate change, including:

• Adaptive measures: measures to help minimise the drivers as well as the impacts of climate change and prepare awareness and capacities for implementation of the protective measures.

These exploit opportunities to safeguard currently sustainable livelihoods that are low consumers of carbon energy, and which consequently promise to give Liberia “green” living approaches for both the current and future generations. The project focuses on the inshore artisanal fishery of Monrovia, which contributes significantly to the city’s food security with very low carbon emissions.

• Protective Measures: measures to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. These are mostly engineered interventions such as the construction of revetments, groynes and beaches to protect against rising sea level and the damaging effects of waves from higher-energy storm events. Some aspects are preventative, such as the development of alternative sand sources to stop mining of the natural beaches, and the promotion of measures to improve infrastructure resilience.

The synergy between both type of measures is of importance. The adaptive measures are important conditions for the effectiveness and sustainability of the protective measures, but they also provide synergies within the strategy. The intention is that both types of measures must go hand in hand with each other. 

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OTP OMUTIMA – Redevelopment of the Old Taxi Park

Location: Kampala, Uganda
Project type:
Year: 2020-2023
Client: KCCA, Invest International (funder)
Consortium partners: VE-R, MOVE Mobility, Rebel group, Studio Akeka, Movares Prome Consult

OTP has been the place of arrival for passengers coming to visit, trade, shop or sell at the numerous shops, market places and arcades around. The character of this place and the value attached to it, make clear the task to sustain OTP as the most important place in the Downtown area and to make a strong spatial and functional plan for the site. Central to the concept of this plan are the symbiotic character of main place of arrival, central public space and a bustling shopping and market area. Strengthening these functionalities will enhance the symbiosis of functions and make the heartbeat of Kampala even more powerful. Therefore, the concept of the Master Plan emanates this heartbeat. As it is named in Luganda: OTP Omutima Gwa’Kampala.

The master plan covers a larger area at Nakasero hill to Nakivubo valley including a drainage improvement in street infrastructure and water catchment capacity of the lowest valley area, to balance the densification of the urban tissue with a green and blue concept for the former railway lands in the valley.

To allow for the coexistence of different functions, OTP is envisioned as a layered complex. This conceptual gesture is further supported by the twelve meter topographical height difference between the two sides of the plot. The transportation hub is located at the top of a deck which at the same time serves as a roof of a multi-leveled shopping center.

From the three main components of the OTP Omutima plan, the first to mention is the public transport terminal. The terminal is central to a nearby network of mobility functions that include the city bus, BRT and coach station and the pedestrianized Luwum Street. Without the public transport facility and terminal, OTP would not be the Omutima, but the reverse is also true: the commercial functions make OTP a very popular destination for many.

That forms the second component of the Masterplan: By adding a shopping mall to the large array of shopping and commercial activities in the city centre, OTP also enhances its attraction as key node to enter the city centre. The complex can be further enhanced by the addition of three high-rises with flexible programme depending on the market opportunities at the moment of implementation.

Thridly, the OTP is a public transport hub not merely consisting of infrastructure, vehicles and buildings. It is first and foremost a place for people. The OTP Omutima embraces the concept of making room again for people: providing space where pedestrians are comfortable moving through, stopping to wait, to meet, or to connect to the core of the city.  Adjacent to the NMT corridor at Luwum Street, there is a comfortable space for people that offers accessibility and a meeting space that enhances social relations and exchanges.

A sound business case proofs the preliminary feasibility outcomes positive. Further in-depth development of the plan will target the development agreement with a master developer party to implement the layered complex and lift Old Taxi Park into a next century of place of arrival for many.

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