Mbarara City Council has started the process renaming and naming of 400 old and new roads and buildings within the city.

Mbarara City has 330.19 kilometres of roads.

Current roads have a diversity of names include Marknsighn, High-street, Mbaguta road, Independence road, Victor Bwana, Ntare Road, Bananuka, Buremba, Garage street, Bishop wills Street, Galt road, Kiswahili among others.

The renaming process started after the guidelines to rename and name the roads and buildings were approved by the city council councilors in August, marking the first step to identify names that will be given to new roads after consulting the residents.

The factors to be considered while naming and renaming roads and streets include uniqueness, the source of the name with preference to local history, indigenous names, early explorers, pioneers, settlers and other eminent persons, Flora and Fauna among others.

Carol Warugaba the Mbarara City Physical Planner says that currently, they have earmarked 40 roads, to begin within Mbarara City South Division and later these will be updated with the city addressing system.

She says they are planning to name and also rename 40 roads each financial year and if funds allow the naming of buildings will be done alongside the naming of roads.

She says the essence of naming the roads is to give easy identification and access to people especially those coming in for tours and business.

Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi the City Mayor says that roads and buildings need to be named for easy access by people, visitors and proper planning.

Kakyebezi says the naming of new roads and buildings is done after they have consulted with residents in villages through a village committee who later forward to the division and then to the council that approves it.

Richard Mugisha, Deputy City Clerk says they have developed a proposal form to be filled by applicants who desire their names to be used on private or public roads.

He says they are still budgeting for the initiative but will plan to use local revenue if funds allow for the process to name and rename the city roads and buildings.

Simon Mugisha, a businessman on Garage street welcomed the initiative but warned on the use of names that are out of place, commercial or company names, offensive or likely to give offence and are undesirable.

*****

URN