1. Introduction
Cities are living organisms, constantly adapting to population growth, climate change, and the shifting ambitions of governments and societies. Increasingly, planners and developers are experimenting with new forms of urbanism that break with the traditional concentric model of the city.
One of the boldest expressions of this experimentation is ‘linear urbanism’—a design principle in which a city is organized along a single infrastructural or architectural spine. This approach promises efficiency, compactness, and ecological sensitivity by reducing sprawl and concentrating development along one axis.
Two projects embody this idea in strikingly different ways. In Kampala, Uganda, the Nakivubo Channel redevelopment seeks to transform the city’s critical drainage artery into a multifunctional urban corridor. From Wandegeya, through the heart of the central business district, to Luzira on the shores of Lake Victoria, the channel is both a lifeline and a liability—carrying storm water while also contributing to floods, pollution, and public health risks. The redevelopment, estimated to cost around USD 450 million for core works and up to USD 520 million when supporting infrastructure is included, aims to upgrade drainage capacity while layering new public and commercial functions.
Half a continent away, in Saudi Arabia, NEOM’s ‘THE LINE’ proposes something on a completely different scale. Announced in 2021 as part of Vision 2030, THE LINE is a 170 km long mirrored megastructure designed to house nine million residents. At 200 meters wide and 500 meters tall, it promises a car-free, AI-driven urban environment where nature is preserved outside the city’s footprint. It is a radical reinvention of urban life from scratch, backed by hundreds of billions of dollars from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
Although they differ in scale, ambition, and context, both Nakivubo and THE LINE share an essential DNA: they are experiments in linear urbanism. Comparing them reveals not only the diverse applications of the same idea but also the contrasting realities of African resilience-building and Middle Eastern futurism.
2. Historical & Urban Context
The Nakivubo Channel’s story is deeply entwined with the growth of Kampala. Originally a natural stream and wetland system, it became the central drainage spine as the city urbanized. Kampala sits on a series of hills, and storm water naturally flows down into valleys, with Nakivubo acting as the main outflow toward Lake Victoria. As informal settlements expanded and construction intensified, the channel became overburdened. Solid waste, industrial discharge, and encroachment narrowed its flow. Flooding in low-lying neighborhoods like Katwe and Kisenyi became routine, disrupting markets and displacing families. Past interventions, including World Bank–funded rehabilitation projects, improved lining and capacity but did not resolve long-term pressures. Today, the channel is both indispensable and dangerously fragile.
Saudi Arabia’s context is very different. Historically, settlement patterns were dispersed, responding to desert geography and nomadic traditions. But rapid urbanization in the twentieth century led to sprawling cities like Riyadh and Jeddah. With Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is attempting to diversify its economy away from oil and create global icons of innovation. NEOM, a mega-region in the northwest, is the flagship of this vision. THE LINE is its most radical element, pitched as a model city of the future. Unlike Nakivubo, which builds on an existing city, THE LINE represents a total departure from past urbanism, conceived more as a statement of intent than as an organic response to existing settlement patterns.
3. Technical Overview
Nakivubo’s redevelopment is an engineering-led initiative. The channel, stretching approximately 9 km from Wandegeya to Luzira, is trapezoidal in section, with reinforced concrete linings in many parts. Current proposals include deepening and widening, introducing sediment traps, and creating elevated pedestrian and cycle walkways alongside the channel. Designers also envision commercial markets and green belts integrated along its banks, creating a hybrid corridor where infrastructure doubles as civic space. Hydrological models emphasize the need to accommodate peak storm flows to prevent catastrophic flooding.
THE LINE, by contrast, is architectural and technological in concept. Renderings show two parallel skyscraper walls clad in mirrors, enclosing a linear urban environment 200 m wide and 500 m high. Inside, services are vertically layered: transport systems underground, public spaces at mid-levels, and residences above. A high-speed rail line would connect end to end in just 20 minutes. Energy systems would be fully renewable, controlled by artificial intelligence. While Nakivubo relies on enhancing natural hydrology, THE LINE is about mastering artificial environments at an unprecedented scale.
4. Costing & Financing
The Nakivubo Channel redevelopment carries an estimated price tag of USD 450 million for the core drainage upgrade. When factoring in the additional infrastructure—public spaces, markets, green corridors, and transport integration—the cost may rise to USD 520 million. Funding is expected to come from a mix of government allocations, municipal resources, and potential donor or public–private partnerships. For Uganda, this represents one of the most expensive infrastructure undertakings in recent history, and financing will be a decisive factor.
THE LINE dwarfs these figures. Estimates place its cost in the hundreds of billions of dollars, with the Saudi Public Investment Fund as the primary backer. Unlike Kampala, where financing must be pieced together cautiously, Saudi Arabia can leverage sovereign wealth to fund its vision. Yet the sheer magnitude of expenditure has drawn skepticism internationally, with critics questioning whether the project is financially sustainable.
5. Environmental Dimensions
Nakivubo’s ecological role cannot be overstated. It drains storm water into the Lake Victoria basin, one of Africa’s largest freshwater resources. Any redevelopment must preserve hydraulic efficiency while also protecting wetlands that serve as natural filters. Environmentalists warn that building too aggressively along the channel could compromise these functions, worsening rather than alleviating floods. The project thus faces a delicate balance: modernizing Kampala while safeguarding ecosystems.
THE LINE is marketed as an ecological breakthrough. By concentrating millions of residents into a narrow strip, it claims to leave 95% of surrounding land untouched. The car-free design aims to cut carbon emissions drastically, while renewable energy integration promises a net-zero footprint. Yet doubts remain: building a mirrored megastructure in a desert presents environmental challenges of its own, from energy-intensive cooling needs to the ecological impact of construction. Both projects leverage environmental branding, but the realities differ—Nakivubo focuses on water and wetlands, THE LINE on land and emissions.
6. Social & Economic Impacts
For Kampala, the Nakivubo redevelopment could transform the daily lives of thousands. Markets along the corridor would benefit from reduced flooding, better sanitation, and improved infrastructure. Informal vendors could be integrated into formalized spaces, enhancing livelihoods. Flood-prone communities in Kisenyi and Katwe would see reduced displacement. Yet risks exist: if commercial development overtakes civic goals, poorer residents may be excluded.
THE LINE’s social impact is harder to predict. If realized, it would create a futuristic lifestyle, offering seamless access to services, green spaces, and employment opportunities. Jobs in construction, technology, and management could benefit Saudis and expatriates alike. However, critics warn of elitism, social control, and the possibility that only a privileged class will inhabit the city. Where Nakivubo is about upgrading for existing citizens, THE LINE is about attracting a global class of residents to a newly invented city.
7. Risks & Criticisms
Nakivubo faces governance and operational risks. Waste management remains a chronic problem in Kampala; without proper maintenance, even an upgraded channel could clog. Regulatory clarity is essential—both the Kampala Capital City Authority and the National Environmental Management Authority have stressed that no final approvals exist for permanent construction. Public trust will be crucial, as citizens fear displacement and over-commercialization.
THE LINE faces global criticism for its feasibility. Skeptics question whether a 170 km mirrored skyscraper can be built and sustained. Costs may spiral, technologies may fall short, and the social experiment of compressing millions into one corridor could prove unworkable. Moreover, human rights concerns have been raised about land acquisition and governance. Both projects, though different, reveal the tension between ambition and reality.
8. Broader Lessons & Future Outlook
Comparing Nakivubo and THE LINE highlights valuable lessons. For Kampala, THE LINE’s emphasis on compactness and integrated services could inspire pedestrian-friendly corridors and market decks beside, not atop, the channel. For Saudi Arabia, Nakivubo demonstrates the importance of working with natural systems—rivers, wetlands, and hydrology—rather than building entirely artificial environments.
Globally, these projects symbolize two divergent futures. In Africa, resilience and adaptation to climate pressures dominate. In the Middle East, reinvention and spectacle lead the way. Both are valid responses to local realities, yet both carry risks of overreach. The next decade will determine whether Nakivubo becomes a functional urban lifeline and whether THE LINE progresses beyond renderings into lived reality.
9. Conclusion
Nakivubo Channel redevelopment and NEOM’s THE LINE are two sides of the same coin. They embody the principle of linear urbanism but apply it in opposite contexts: Kampala as a city repairing and upgrading its lifeline, and Saudi Arabia as a nation inventing a futuristic identity. One is grounded in necessity, the other in ambition. One costs half a billion dollars, the other hundreds of billions. Together, they show the elasticity of urban imagination and the enduring challenge of turning vision into reality.
10. References
World Bank. (2002). Kampala Urban Sanitation Project: Nakivubo Channel Rehabilitation Project Appraisal Document.
Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). (2025). Public statements on Nakivubo Channel redevelopment and drainage approvals.
National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). (2025). Environmental Impact Assessment guidelines for urban infrastructure in wetlands.
Daily Monitor Uganda. (2025). Reports on Nakivubo Channel works and public debate on approvals.
Saudi Vision 2030. (2021). Official Vision 2030 Announcement and NEOM launch materials.
NEOM Official Website. (2023–2025). Information and promotional material on THE LINE.
The Guardian. (2023). ‘Saudi Arabia’s 170km desert skyscraper: The Line’ – reporting on feasibility and criticism.
BBC News. (2024). ‘Inside Saudi Arabia’s The Line: Visionary city or fantasy project?’
UN-Habitat. (2020). Urban resilience and flood management guidelines for African cities.
Lake Victoria Basin Commission. (2019). Environmental management and hydrology reports on the Lake Victoria watershed.
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