Kampala Capital City serves as an economically vibrant city with urbanization and faster population growth that keeps on increasing over the years. This has facilitated the rising demand for goods and services which leads to increased urban mobility and movement of people within the precincts of Kampala Metropolitan Area. Economic growth and socio-economic development creates the demand for the rising urban mobility. The demand for urban mobility enhances the use of private and public vehicles. As a result, the rise in the demand for transport facilities plays a significant role in generating road traffic congestion and demeaning the urban setting within the CBD of Kampala. This study aimed at examining the effectiveness of existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion in Uganda with special emphasis on GKMA. The study used a cross-sectional survey design combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches with the help of primary data using a questionnaire. The specific objectives that guided this study are; examining the extent of change of traffic congestion from implementation of existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion; determining the extent of achievement of objectives of existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion; assessing the extent of realization of expected outcomes of existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion and examining Stakeholders’ and beneficiaries' knowledge, understanding and capacity to carry out actions of the existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion. The study found that the existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion are not effectively implemented. The findings indicated that the number of vehicles on the road has increased over time as only one percent cover pedestrians. Vehicles on Kampala roads took an average time of one hour on the road is, and all exit and entry routes to CBD including Gayaza road, Masaka-Busega road, Kamwokya-Kisaasi road, Namugongo-Ntinda-Kamwokya, Entebbe road, and Sir Apollo Kagwa road were highly congested. The Causes of traffic congestion were persistent which all demonstrated that the problem of traffic congestion had increased. The study further established that neither the objectives nor the expected outcomes stipulated in the existing policy frameworks had been achieved. Instead, negative consequences of traffic congestion continued to emerge inform of high average travel time, high freight transportation costs, wastages of time in traffic, productivity loss and money loss which are ensued as a result of road traffic congestion. The assessment of stakeholders’ knowledge of existing policy frameworks on traffic congestion indicated that more than 50 percent of the respondents were unaware of existing policy frameworks and how they are implemented and enforced. In conclusion, therefore, the study demonstrated that the existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion had not been effective in tackling the problem of road traffic congestion in GKMA. The study recommends that a regulatory impact assessment on traffic congestion is carried out to understand the issue of concern, its causes and effects so as identify the most feasible policy option for reducing road traffic congestion in GKMA that is logical, evidence based and inclusive for road traffic congestion. The study also recommends that the government carries out extensive consultation, sensitization and awareness drives regarding the existing policy frameworks on road traffic congestion amongst all relevant stakeholders to enhance implementation, enforcement, accountability, learning, monitoring and evaluation for improved service delivery. The study also argues the government to consider reinstating the construction of the Uganda railway. Based on the study findings, construction of Uganda railway can help to minimize the problem of road traffic congestion as people will now be using the railway option instead of congesting the CBD with the available public and private transport means. Key Words: Public Policy Effectiveness; Kampala; GKMA; Uganda; CBD; Traffic Congestion

show more