Kampala slum dwellers to be moved

May 01, 2010

RESIDENTS in slums around Kampala City are to be relocated, according to a new housing plan. Following a recent survey by experts and Kampala City Council (KCC), residents in the slums of: Katwe I, Kisenyi II and Bwaise III, will be relocated to Nansana, Kakiri and Makindye Ssabagabo.

By Jude Kafuuma

RESIDENTS in slums around Kampala City are to be relocated, according to a new housing plan. Following a recent survey by experts and Kampala City Council (KCC), residents in the slums of: Katwe I, Kisenyi II and Bwaise III, will be relocated to Nansana, Kakiri and Makindye Ssabagabo.

Details of the cost and numbers affected were not established.

Six experts from Infrastructure Design Forum (ID-FORUM), a construction firm, have revealed that the population in Kampala is projected to increase to 8-10 million people by 2030.

“This calls for innovative approaches for the housing challenges faced by the increasing population of Kampala,” states a report presented to housing stakeholders and KCC at Hotel Africana on Wednesday.

The study was done by the Kampala Integrated Environmental Planning and Management Project (KIEMP) sponsored by KCC and the Belgian Technical Co-operation (BTC).

While presenting the report, Emmanuel Byaruhanga, a housing expert, said the study was meant to improve living conditions of poor urban communities.

“Kampala needs 50,000 housing units annually to keep up with her population growth rate,” he said while delivering the report.

Stakeholders and the experts opted to relocate residents from the slums to plan better housing facilities.

Kenneth Atuheire, a physical planner with ID-FORUM, said in September last year, a meeting was held with officials of the Buganda Land Board to acquire land where residents would be resettled while the redevelopment took place.

A quick survey revealed that 53.7% of the residents are ready to move, while 46.3% objected to the redevelopment and 25.9% were undecided.

The new plan, which will be funded by the Belgians, will include rehabilitating houses that are reparable and demolishing those in bad shape.

Among the options considered for the revised housing standards in the three parishes include upgrading residential areas, clearing unplanned commercial structures, improving sanitation and drainage systems and replacement of poorly planned existing houses.

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