The Ministry of Land, Housing, and Urban Development in Uganda is considering vertical housing development in urban-slum areas to address the challenges posed by the increasing population. The Condominium Property Act of 2001 provides provisions for vertical housing development, particularly in urban centers.
Persis Namuganza, the State Minister for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, announced that the government is currently seeking suitable land to act as holding places where people can be relocated during the development of informal settlement areas. The plan involves constructing high-rise buildings to accommodate the growing population.
The government aims to avoid eviction without providing alternative housing solutions. Instead, they plan to start with model houses that can be occupied during the construction and development of the informal settlement areas.
Uganda is facing a housing gap of 2.5 million units, and the government recognizes the urgent need to bridge this gap and catch up on housing development. The Minister also disclosed that Uganda will host the second three-day International Building Expo from the 10th to the 12th of this month at the Uganda Manufacturers Association UMA showgrounds in Lugogo. The expo aims to showcase innovative construction designs and technologies to stakeholders in Uganda and abroad, helping to share approaches that reduce construction costs and time.
Dave Khayangayanga, the Directorate of Housing, emphasized that the Condominium Act enables vertical development for government, private investors, and homeowners, allowing several people to share one building with individual titles. This approach can help address the limited land availability in the face of a growing population, which is also threatening the agriculture sector.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development is actively monitoring the quality of housing products used by engineers in the country through the Building Review Board under the Ministry of Works. The expo, organized in collaboration with exhibitions trade services and Futurex from India, will offer Ugandans the opportunity to verify the details of their land titles and prospective purchases.
The event’s theme is “Connect with the construction industry to build a better tomorrow,” and it will feature participants from various countries, including India, Oman, Egypt, Turkey, France, Germany, Kenya, Ethiopia, and the UAE, with more than ten thousand visitors expected to attend.
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