By Jumah Kakomo
The Government has encouraged Ugandans specifically those in urban areas to practice high raised buildings as a tool to get more land spaces for multipurpose
This was revealed on Monday 02 October 2023, at Uganda media center Kampala by the minister of lands, housing and urban development Judith Nabakooba Nalule ahead of celebrating the world habitat day and the 2nd national housing symposium to be held on Thursday 5th October 2023 Kampala under the theme ”Resilient urban economies; cities as drivers of growth and economic recovery” which Nabakooba says is relevant in that it draws attention to government and all stakeholders to see how they can position their economies/activities to benefit residents.
Nabakooba says Uganda is one of the countries in the world with the highest growing population that needs a land use data base and also how to cater for the population and by doing that they are emphasizing on zoning of the areas to make sure that land can be earmarked for residential, agriculture but also for commercial.
“By independence we were 9 million people and currently we are almost hitting 45 million people which means in the future we shall even be 100 million people,” Nabakooba said.
She adds that the population of the country is growing on a daily basis but the land doesn’t grow it remains the same that needs a land use date base and also how to cater for the population and by doing that they are emphasizing on zoning of the areas to make sure that land can be earmarked for residential, agriculture but also for commercial.
“My Ministry has initiated a number of developments in the Lands, housing and urban development sectors,”Nabakooba stated.
The UN General Assembly resolution of 17th December 1985 set aside the first Monday of October each year to be observed worldwide as World Habitat Day. “Uganda has pushed it’s National celebrations to Thursday 5th October 2023 to allow our partners to fully participate,”Nabakooba said.
She revealed that the national housing symposium is a high level gathering of like minded that will bring together National and international heads of key organizations, high ranking government officials, Cultural leaders, poverty developers, real estate investors, regulators, academia, Manufactures, Financiers, Contractors and outstanding members of society to discuss practical solutions to affordable housing.
Regarding land evictions, Nabakooba says as the government, they are working tirelessly to put into various methods, policies and laws regulating land evictions to avoid people being homeless.
Among the initiatives are;
a) Implementation of landlord and Tenants Act, 2022. The law harmonizes the housing relationships between tenants and landlords.
b) The ministry with support from UN habitat is reviewing the national slum upgrading strategy and action plan of 2008 to align it with the sustainable urbanization and housing program.
C) Implementation of the national planning Act, 2013, which provides a framework for the management and administration of Uganda’s land and land based resource, and implementation of the national Urban policy, 2017, which provides a framework for the management of the urbanization process on the country.
Nabakooba says the government would like to use this occasion to argue all stakeholders to address the challenges facing affordable housing across all communities in the country.
“All players in the housing and urban development sector and the general public are argued o reflect on the housing delivery systems and plan better for the coming housing year,”Nabakooba added.
