Fort Portal City authorities have taken a major step toward regulating the fast-growing eco-homes industry, as part of a broader strategy to strengthen sustainable urban development and improve service delivery.
Leaders from the city council, together with officials from Data Cities, met at the Mountain of the Moon Hotel for a Technical Planning Committee session aimed at finalizing guidelines to govern eco-homes businesses.
The move comes amid growing concern over unregulated developments and data gaps in the sector, which city leaders say are undermining planning efforts and limiting revenue collection.
Data Cities, a collaborative initiative supported by UN Global Pulse Uganda, Sunbird AI, and ToroDev, is working with emerging urban centers to harness data and artificial intelligence in planning and governance.
The initiative is already being implemented in Fort Portal and Jinja, with a focus on improving data management systems, boosting local revenue mobilisation, and enhancing public service delivery through digital innovation.
Among its key interventions are the integration of city datasets, standardisation of property naming systems, and the creation of unique property identifiers—measures aimed at improving tax compliance and building public trust.
Officials say the broader goal is to enable cities to make evidence-based decisions while promoting fairness in property taxation and improving the overall quality of life for residents.
Speaking at the meeting, Fort Portal City Senior Tourism Officer Deborah Baguma underscored the urgency of introducing clear regulations for the eco-homes sector.
“We are looking at regulating the eco-homes industry, and the proposed guidelines will be presented to the City Executive Committee and later to council for approval,” she said.
Baguma noted that significant gaps remain in data on existing developments, with many properties currently unregistered.
Echoing the concern, Principal Assistant Town Clerk Kusemererwa Peter said the absence of a regulatory framework has allowed informal operations to flourish, limiting the city’s ability to fully benefit from the sector.
“Once these regulations are in place, they will provide a clear framework for eco-homes businesses to operate efficiently and align with international standards,” he said. “This will not only bring order to the sector but also attract investment and strengthen Fort Portal’s position as a tourism destination.”
The eco-homes concept—often linked to environmentally friendly and sustainable accommodation—has gained traction in Fort Portal, a city widely regarded as a tourism hub due to its proximity to natural attractions in western Uganda.
Authorities believe formalising the sector will enhance its contribution to both local and national economic growth, while ensuring developments meet environmental and planning standards.
Beyond eco-homes, Data Cities has already supported Fort Portal and Jinja in strengthening systems in waste management, revenue collection, and tourism operations—areas critical to urban efficiency.
As Fort Portal advances these reforms, city leaders say the initiative could serve as a model for other urban centres, including Kampala, Entebbe, Mbarara, Gulu, and Mbale, as Uganda accelerates its transition toward smarter and more sustainable cities.