An investigation into the access and development of housing for urban poor. A case study of Kasubi 11 cell, Kasubi ward in Rubaga division, Kampala city
Abstract
Increased urbanization is a major concern for less developed countries since they often lack basic
infrastructure and basic services for example water, sanitation, housing and health care necessary
to absorb the increasing number of people. Several trends contribute to the rapid urbanization in
Uganda including the population of internally displaced people, drought, and land tenure
insecurity in rural areas (Brown 2014, Lwasa 2011, Mukwaya 2011). Urban growth has brought
development, opportunity, and affluence for some, it brought displacement and protracted urban
poverty for many among others.
Uganda has a population base of 35 million and a high population growth rate of 3.2% making it
one of the fastest-growing populations in Africa. This has serious implications in terms of
demand for land, housing, water, health, education, jobs and urban services, as well as impacts
on the environment. While Uganda still has a low level of urbanization (18.2%) it has a high
urban growth rate of 35.2% per annum. Most of this growth has been in secondary towns such as
Hoima - 10.7%, Mbarara - 8.6%, and Mukono - 10.4%, The Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area
(GKMA) has the highest urban population representing over 50% of Uganda’s total urban
dwellers. It is projected that by the year 2035 Uganda’s population will have grown to 68.4
million of which 30% will be in urban areas (Uganda Bureau of Statistics UBOS, 2014).