Shuaib Lwasa: Hybrid Cities and the Next Urban Resurgence

The Century of Cities welcomes Shuaib Lwasa, a Professor at the International Institute of Social Studies and an urban geographer. Drawing on his lived experience in Kampala and decades of research across East Africa, Shuaib reflects on how privatization, elite capture, and market-driven development have reshaped the very idea of the public. He offers both a cautionary and hopeful perspective, envisioning African cities that could either become corporate-run enclaves or evolve through innovation, hybrid urbanism, and grassroots ingenuity toward more inclusive development. Through his lens, we see the potential for reform coalitions that bring together communities, academia, government, and civil society to create transformative, frugal, and culturally grounded urban futures across the continent.