Govt urged to scale up funding for affordable housing
“Investors cannot invest their money in social housing. Social houses are houses for our low-income earners or people who don’t have jobs. So, that one has to be taken on by Government entirely. Investors come in to supplement by handling and addressing the needs of middle-income earners and maybe high-end investments,” Nabakooba explained.
Speaking to New Vision Online, Nabakooba said while she could not recall allocations to this end off hand, it is a drop in the ocean. (New Vision/Files)
KAMPALA - Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba has appealed for adequate funding to support the construction of low-cost housing across the country.
She echoed this on April 30, 2026, shortly after a meeting with officials from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) led by chairperson Prof. Pen Mogi in the ministry’s boardroom in Kampala.
Also present were Andrew Nyumba, Eunice Nabakwa, a principal land officer at the ministry, and John Fisher Kasenge, a commissioner, among others.
Speaking to New Vision Online, Nabakooba said while she could not recall allocations to this end off hand, it is a drop in the ocean.
“Investors cannot invest their money in social housing. Social houses are houses for our low-income earners or people who don’t have jobs. So, that one has to be taken on by Government entirely. Investors come in to supplement by handling and addressing the needs of middle-income earners and maybe high-end investments,” Nabakooba explained.
“So, we are still engaging Government. Good enough, there is a law for mortgage refinancing, we are trying to see if we can get partners to have strategies of borrowing even money from development partners to lower the interest on mortgage. Because right now our interest in mortgages is also high. We are also still convincing Mzee (President Museveni) to find money for National Housing,” she added.
Further elaborating that the beauty is that National Housing and Construction Company (NHCC) owns a lot of land in prime areas.
“Some of their land has now become slums, the other land is properly planned, only awaiting for Government to give them funds to begin on these mega projects,” she illustrated.
Housing need
Her comments come barely two months after Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MOLHUD) Dorcus Okalany interfaced with lawmakers Public Accounts Committee (Central) under Mawogola South Member of Parliament Goretth Namugga.
“Next financial year, they have given us sh8b to be able to guarantee the private sector who are willing to come in to assist us. But also, they want to fund the National Housing and Construction Company (NHCC) in removing slums from urban areas,” Okalany told MPs.
The target is to construct 2.6 million housing units nationwide, with each expected to accommodate a family of five to seven people.
“The population is growing at a fast rate, and we cannot deny people houses. Since most people are moving from rural to urban areas, we have recognised this need as a priority, and the Government has put emphasis on it,” she reiterated.