Empewo Bwe Bulamu
Empewo Bwe Bulamu (“Air is Life”) is a project establishing a network of sensors in Kampala, Uganda, in collaboration with the Buganda Kindgom. A dashboard hosted by CITIESair provides real-time and historical data from these sensors on air pollution levels across Kampala, including Bulange – the administrative headquarters of the Buganda Kingdom and seat of its parliament (Lukiiko). By making air quality data accessible and easy to interpret, the dashboard supports both public awareness and evidence-based decision-making.
The initiative is funded by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) and led by researchers Dorothy Lsoto and Rebecca Larson at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with support from New York University Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with the Buganda Kingdom.
Screens in the Buganda Kingdom Parliament
Learn more about the Buganda Kingdom today
The Buganda Kingdom is one of the historic kingdoms within present-day Uganda. Around 7 million Ugandans identify as Baganda, according to the most recent census conducted in 2024. Baganda comprise about 16 percent of the total population, making them the most populous ethnic group in the country. The kingdom covers most of the central region of the country, including the capital city, Kampala.
Although the Kingdom was abolished in 1967 under the government of Milton Obote, it was restored in 1993 as a cultural institution. Today, it operates without formal political authority but retains significant social and cultural influence (Quinn 2014). Its institutions include the Kabaka (King), the Lukiiko (parliament), and an administrative structure.
Beyond its cultural role, the Kingdom of Buganda is actively engaged in socio-economic development. It operates youth leadership clubs and non-governmental organisations such as the Buganda Cultural and Development Foundation, through which the Kingdom supports programs related to education, youth engagement, sanitation, and food security (Quinn 2014; Goist and Kern 2018). Research shows that traditional institutions like the Buganda Kingdom continue to command high levels of public authority and can play an important role in mobilising their constituents, fostering cooperation between them, and shaping community behaviour overall (Logan 2013; Goist and Kern 2018).
The Kingdom is also already involved in environmental initiatives, often in partnership with the official Ugandan authorities. These include collaborating with Uganda’s Ministry of Water on sustainable water use, and with environmental bodies such as the Uganda Biodiversity Trust Fund on projects such as “E Kibira Kya Kabaka”, focused on restoring the tree cover in Buganda’s Royal Forests. In February 2026, this engagement was further strengthened through a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
Given its reach and influence, the Buganda Kingdom is a key actor in promoting environmental awareness, including about air quality, across central Uganda.
Screens showcasing the dashboard with live air quality data for Bulange and Kampala have also been installed in the Buganda Parliament to serve as points of reference for local policymakers.
By placing real-time air quality data directly within this institutional setting, the project helps policymakers and Kingdom officials to have immediate access to relevant environmental information. This creates a visible and constant reference point for discussions around public health, environmental protection, and urban development.
Workshops Fostering Awareness
To accompany the creation of the CITIESair Dashboard Kampala and Bulange, as well as the installation of these screens in the parliament, a series of air quality training workshops was held in February 2026 for County Administrators and youth leaders within the Buganda Kingdom.
