A slum in Namuwongo, Kampala. An estimated 900,000 units in the country are substandard and in need of replacing or upgrading, according to data from Habitat for Humanity. PHOTO/FILE
In Kampala, it is not uncommon to find a one-bedroom rental in areas like Nakawa priced between Shs500,000 and Shs600,000 per month. Such houses, however, leave a lot to be desired. Many feature cramped living quarters. With outdoor bathrooms, they lack privacy and basic amenities like running water, and security.
The walls often show signs of neglect, with peeling paint and crumbling surfaces. Roofs may leak during the rainy season, and the floors are usually left as bare, cold cement instead of more comfortable materials.
This cycle of inadequate housing persists, as landlords don't care to make improvements due to the overwhelming demand for rentals, something realtors called exploitation.
Recent population and housing statistics show that 78 percent of Uganda's population is youth, many of whom struggle to afford homeownership or financing options.
Consequently, renting has become the primary choice for many. This raises a critical concern: how attractive are the rental options available today?
In 2016, the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development introduced a national housing policy aimed at boosting the supply of decent housing, targeting an increase from 60,000 to 200,000 units annually.
Yet, data from Habitat for Humanity indicates a staggering shortfall of 2.4 million housing units in the country, with an alarming 90 percent of existing homes deemed substandard.
Brendah Niwamanya, a resident of Mutungo, has been trying to move to a new house, but her frustrations with house hunting make it seem more appealing to stay in her current shanty.
“You may have a budget of Shs500,000, but when you go to view a house, you realise it’s actually worth only Shs200,000 to Shs150,000. They insist it’s for Shs500,000, but the house is old, has no tiles, isn’t self-contained, and is simply unattractive,” Niwamanya reveals.
“I’ve faced challenges after paying a broker to help me find a house, only to discover it’s nothing like what I wanted. There’s no value for my money, which makes house hunting especially tough for those of us just starting out,” she adds.
It’s not just tenants. Realtors are feeling the frustration as well. Katherine Nakiberu, a realtor involved in brokerage, points out how limited regulations have worsened the situation.
“It’s hard to sell a property because when clients see the houses we describe they decline to buy. For example, a master bedroom may only fit a single bed,” she explains.
Nakiberu adds that the agencies responsible for enforcing laws, such as the Land Tenants Act, aren’t helping enough. “They don't know how to address these issues, so the higher authorities need to establish clearer regulations."
Nakiberu says that before someone becomes a landlord, they should review their building plans. If the design includes a bathroom that requires bending to enter, it shouldn't be approved. Unfortunately, many flawed plans have received approval, leading to poor housing on the market right now.”
The challenge of substandard housing in Uganda stems from various factors, one of which is the land tenure system.
Kenneth Kaijuka, the chief executive officer of the National Housing and Construction Company, which is mandated to offer quality and affordable housing in Uganda, says that the ownership structure greatly influences housing and infrastructure develop in the country.
“Most of the land is privately owned, which means that nearly every Ugandan becomes a builder,” he says.
He adds: “Unfortunately, many constructions are not carried out by professionals, and they often fall short of quality and safety standards. Families, lacking the means to negotiate with financiers, typically design homes based on what they can afford, leading to many rudimentary bungalows.”
Kaijuka believes in the necessity of stricter regulations regarding land use, stressing that “land ownerships in the cities and urban areas should be free hold. There must be, he adds, “restrictions from what you can develop, it shouldn't be to whom it may concern.”
Kaijuka emphasises that there must be strict regulations from the public sector to oversee the private sector. He explains that rampant, unplanned settlements contribute to escalating costs for the government in areas such as road construction, power distribution, and piped water supply, making effective planning increasingly difficult.
“The Ministry of Lands lacks a structured approach to guide development at all stages, both in urban and rural settings. The way people in villages are constructing houses is simply appalling,” Kaijuka states.
He adds: “We need to establish responsible centres at the city, town council, and village levels. There are programmes like the Parish Development Model that function at the parish level, but we haven’t seen a similar focus on housing, even though it is central to all services.” Kaijuka insists that local authorities must take a stronger stance on land usage. “
This points towards zoning; we have to reorganise and reconfigure our development strategies. Local authorities must zone areas effectively for better control, management, and eventual approvals.
This way, the quality of housing can be specified from the start."
If the National Housing and Construction Company were to build affordable houses for every Ugandan, it would require over Shs5 trillion per year, which is no small sum.
Kaijuka explains that the only viable solution is to attract non-concessional financing through loans, acknowledging that they would be relying on the revenue from rent since the majority of Ugandans cannot afford to build or finance a home.
“With respect to a client called the Ugandan population, we need to attract cheap capital from long-term investors because budget financing will never be sufficient. It can only serve as a seed for the government to demonstrate their efforts. Therefore, this must be blended with concessional financing,” Kaijuka said.
In August 2024, the Inspectorate of Government investigated 30 complaints from the diaspora regarding substandard houses built for them by contractors back home. They reported that these houses were overpriced and deteriorated quickly.
Collaborating with the National Review Board, it was revealed that some houses were constructed without proper plans and designs, and many lacked occupational permits upon completion. Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) estimates that approximately 70 percent of Kampala’s 1.8 million residents live in slums.
In response, last December, Persis Namuganza, the junior Housing minister, announced a plan aimed at providing all Ugandans, particularly those with low incomes, the opportunity to live in organised neighbourhoods across the country. This initiative includes the demolition and upgrading of all slums in Kampala.
