Assessment of the impact of informal settlement on the quality of housing Wakiso: A case study of Kasokoso.
Abstract
Housing and social services are very vital in acceleration of urbanisation and urban development. However, absence and inadequacy of services has been a major contributor to deterioration of livelihood of the urban poor and even the rich. Consequently, adverse effects have emerged such as abject poverty, diseases and many more which have resulted into emergency of informal settlements in many urban areas.
Although urban population in Wakiso has continued to increase, estimated to be 2.9 million people, mechanisms have not been put in place to contain the effect of such population increase on housing developments and settlement expansions. Thus, more informal settlements have continued to emerge in suburbs and surrounding urban areas of Wakiso, Kireka parish, Kasokoso Village inclusive. This implies that residents are facing a problem in developing quality housing. Thus major purpose of this study was to assess the impact of informal settlements on provision of quality housing in Wakiso. The study further addresses and investigates the causes, characteristic, challenges and their interventions mechanisms of informal settlements. The quantitative data which were gathered through the questionnaire items from persons working in Wakiso Physical Planning Department, Local Council chairperson and informal settlers were classified and tallied in respective groups. Then, the data collected from each group was arranged and organized in table according to the problems areas. The data obtained from open ended questions was used for interpreting the problem areas under consideration for suggestion. The organized data was analysed by use of Microsoft Excel 2019. Accordingly, different statistical techniques were employed based on the basic research questions and on the nature of the data collected. Thus, the quantitative data that were collected through questionnaires were tabulated and analysed using frequency percentages and mode. While percentage was used to interpret the demographic characteristics of respondents and other question, mean and standard deviation were employed for organizing and summarizing sets of numerical data gathered in questionnaire. In nutshell, the study found out that informal settlements have an impact on provision of quality in housing Kasokoso Village, Wakiso inclusive. This can be solved through titling of ‘Bibanja’ interests, massive sensitization of the significance of urban planning, strict housing construction inspections, increase supply of basic services, establishing an urban land fund to legalize ownership by the urban poor, job creation urban infrastructure development and public housing.