Urbanization is a vehicle to economic prosperity, yet it results in simultaneous growth of slums and gentrification which exacerbate urban poverty. This is due to the rise in rural-urban migration, inadequate planning for productive infrastructure (roads and markets) and communal infrastructure such as health and education facilities, and insufficient budgetary commitment.
Uganda is rapidly urbanising, at a rate of 5.6%[i], and 15 new regional cities[1] have been created. However, rising infrastructure developments are creating minimal or diminishing prospects for the marginalised urban dwellers.
The goal of Sustainable Development Goal 11, is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable; and in effect, infrastructure should be a conduit for social mobility actualisation (i.e., easy access to work places).
However, growth in infrastructure has been disproportionate to urban population growth. In addition, urban infrastructure development barely focuses on upgrading slums that grapple with poor drainage, sanitation, high crime rate and illegal land tenure despite the existence of the National Slum Upgrading Strategy and Action Plan 2008. The mainstream policy discourse revolves around eviction of slum dwellers and closure of illegal vendor markets.
It is estimated that 48.3 % of the urban population in Uganda lived in slums in 2018 indicating a 1.7 % increase compared to 47.5 % in 2016, (figure 1)[ii]. In addition, 60% of Kampala’s population are slum dwellers[iii], with 54% residing in sub-standard housing, and 12% in stores and garages[iv].
The Centre for Affordable Housing Finance (2021) further projects that in Uganda, 43% of total urban dwellers live in informal settlements, and urban poor displacement due to infrastructure development by the public and private sector has increased, leading to higher travel costs to work and public service facilities, loss of housing and business operation zones.
Accordingly, city status implies better job prospects due to agglomeration effects, and access to public services. However, the creation of new cities highpoints the minimal or absent budgetary allocation for affordable housing schemes, lack of updated urban poor data and inclusivity safe guards which worsen urban poverty.
Hence to ensure inclusive urbanisation, it is necessary to update and institutionalise existing urbanisation frameworks to meet urban population growth, taking into account the impact of COVID 19, climate change and further decentralisation of basic services e.g. mobile clinics. These frameworks should be actively incorporated with National Development Plan III outcomes and empower stakeholders; Private sector, Central and Local Governments, Civil Society Organisations and the urban poor, to synergize and manage inclusive urban development.
Strategic budgetary/investment targeting of spatially distinct economic activities in new cities is also necessary for Local Economic Development and perhaps reverse rural-urban migration to Kampala. For example, creating sector ecosystems that create decent employment through backward and forward linkages in cities such as Fort Portal- tourism; Hoima- oil and Moroto- mining[i].
Lastly, leveraging Public Private Partnerships (PPP) is key in creating sustainable cities. In 2010, the government adopted the Public Private Policy (PPP) as a tool for the provision of public services and public infrastructure. Thus efficient coordination between public and private sectors can improve the quality and cost of services to realize standardized infrastructure within the urban centres, and enable fast infrastructure development to close gaps therein.
See references:
[i] National Planning Authority, (2020) Third National Development Plan (NDPIII) 2020/21
[1] Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Mbarara, Fort Portal, Mbale, Hoima, Entebbe, Lira, Moroto, Nakasongola, Soroti, Kabale and Wakiso
[i] Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa. (2021). Africa Housing Finance Yearbook 2021. https://housingfinanceafrica.org/countries/2021-housing-finance-yearbook-uganda-profile/
[ii] The UNHABITAT, (2016) Uganda: Country programme document (2016 – 2021)
[iii] (World Bank, (2015) The growth challenge: can Ugandan cities get to work? Uganda economic update. Washington DC.
[iv] UN-HABITAT, (2007). Cities without Slums Sub-regional Programme for Eastern and Southern Africa. Situation analysis report and action plan for Kampala city council.