Environmental leadership as a requisite to sustainable development: A case of local government, Makindye Division, Kampala District

Abstract

Environmental leadership as a requisite to sustainable development is the topic of this study. According to the study, environmental leadership which is the inclusion of environmental concerns in all leadership practices and activities is assumed to have imperative role in achievement of sustainable development. Uganda as a developing country depends directly on natural resources for her development. In view of the fact that the government of Uganda is governed through decentralization system by the means of Local Governments, it is appeared that the local leaders are the key decision makers who exercise certain power over the community and have influence upon their followers. Hence, they must manage environment sustainably. This research studied a sample group of local leaders including Local Council I and II in Makindye Division, Kampala District. The study defined four necessary components for being an environmental leader encompasses the adequate environmental knowledge, right attitudes towards environmental issues, exercise of transformational leaderships’ characteristics, and skills required for the environment management. These elements assessed amongst the LCs and compared to the key-informants and citizens’ assessment of their leaders. The results emerged indicate most of the leaders are short of environmental leadership exercises. It appeared the LCs have acceptable knowledge about environment condition of their authority yet they lack practical knowledge. Moreover, they do not have enough knowledge regarding sustainable development. The LCs attitudes are not pro-environment and they are not many who exercise transformational leadership. In terms of required skills the study results indicate an imperative need for empowerment of LCs since they lack required skills radically. Furthermore, two cases within the area of study selected and compared to elucidate the difference between an area where LCs have strived to embrace environmental concern in their leadership and where they have failed to do so. To sum, the study calls for attitudes change, leaders’ empowerment in terms of knowledge, skills and leadership style if the sustainable development is desired to achieve.