Photo Credit: Mudarshiru Bbuye (PhD) Clean air is no longer a side conversation. It is a public health priority, an economic issue, a governance challenge, and a measure of how seriously African cities are planning for the future. This was the message Public Square EA carried into the Africa Clean Air Forum 2026 in Pretoria, South Africa, where our team was represented by Owomugisha Julian Tabaro and Arinda Mackline. The forum brought together policymakers, researchers, civil

Sir, You, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic, were quoted by your government’s media, throwing the great people of Bugisu a rather harsh backhanded compliment. You said we are hardworking but have no leaders to guide us. This has touched off angry responses in Bugisu circles. As a proud member of the community, I too took umbrage at this mischaracterization of a very proud people by a leader who should know better. In the nascent stages of your liberation strug

Air pollution in Kampala is not simply an environmental problem. It is a policy problem, a public health problem, and a reflection of how our city is planned, governed, and prioritized. When the quality of the air people breathe continues to deteriorate, the question is not only what is in the air. The deeper question is: what decisions, systems, and failures are producing that reality? This is why conversations like #CEPAConvo X-Space on “Kampala’s Air Crisis: What Does the

“Obubaka obutuuka ku bantu mu lulimi lwe bategeera nabwo buba nkola ya nkizo mu nkulaakulana y’eby’obufuzi n’obulamu bw’abantu.”When public-interest information reaches people in a language they understand, it becomes part of building stronger policy and healthier communities. That is why this Luganda air pollution and child health resource stands out as more than a communication product. It is a reminder that accessible knowledge is a policy tool. For too long, conversations

With an annual mean concentration of Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) that is ten times greater than the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended limit, Uganda is home to one of Africa's most polluted cities. Kampala's annual mean concentration of PM2.5 stands at 50 15µg/m3, which is ten times higher than the WHO recommendation of 5µg/m3. Pollution does more than just linger in the air. It drives infant mortality, triggers asthma, compromises lungs for children and the elder

"One voice on the map that distills the clean air opportunity for COP leaders is Owomugisha Julian 's from Public Square EA in Kampala, Uganda — “To achieve true climate resilience, you must prioritize local air quality solutions now.” Listen to her full clip: https://lnkd.in/d9M-k9r6 " Director Clear Air Program, U Chicago, EPIC Air Quality Fund" Interestingly, we didn't need to be in Belem for COP Leaders to take our views on air quality. It's was a true honor to be fea