The State Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Persis Namuganza, has said that the government of Uganda is planning to construct low-cost houses as a long-term solution for the people affected by the Kiteezi landfill collapse.
While speaking to the press at the Uganda Media Centre on October 3, 2024, Namuganza said that from their cabinet meeting it was agreed that Kiteezi disaster victims who own land around Kiteezi will be resettled in houses built for them by the government.
“We came up with short-term interventions that UGX 16bn be released to KCCA and every affected family to be given UGX 2m for them to move away and rent somewhere away from Kiteezi and wait to be given more money to go buy land somewhere else or to build for them low-cost houses,” Namuganza said.
Namuganza also said that the government has already talked to partners who, in a few months, should have constructed low-cost housing units for two to three bedrooms for the Kiteezi victims and are willing to be relocated.
“The cabinet passed another UGX 83Bn from the Ministry of Finance and Office of the Prime Minister to be released soon for the people of Kiteezi who owned land to be built for low-cost houses,” Namuganza added.
She hinted at a plan to have development partners build housing units for rent, and after a period of 10-15 years, these houses can be fully owned by the tenants.
“Uganda is to introduce rent to its own housing facilities. Rent to own a house in 10-15 years where you keep paying rent and after that the house will become yours. This will ensure we have decent housing, and Partners have already come on board, and this will help in building affordable houses,” Namuganza noted.
According to Paulo Mayende of Habitat for Humanity Uganda, the country has over 65% of the urban population, who are largely young people living within the informal settlements around Kampala and other urban places, and there is a need for the government to create urban land where low-cost housing can be established.
The remarks about safe and affordable housing have come at a time when Uganda is going to celebrate World Habitat Day on October 7, 2024, a day meant to remind key stakeholders that everyone deserves decent and affordable housing.
The Kiteezi landfill collapse, which happened on August 10, 2024, claimed more than 35 people and left hundreds homeless, and ever since the incident, many have been advised to relocate as others have been camping in a tent waiting for humanitarian relief.
With the government stepping in to help with relief items, many people who had valid land titles and were affected by the disaster have asked the government to relocate them since the Kiteezi Rubbish collapse has been blamed on the negligence of KCCA officials, where some have already been sacked from their jobs.