By: Melanie Aanyu

The ministry for lands housing and urban development with Habitat for Humanity are to build quality affordable houses in informal settlements in in different cities of Uganda.

The move is aimed at solving the problem of poor housing in slums where people can contract diseases like Tuberculosis due to poor ventilation and congestion while others live with animals due to poor housing and lack of space for a decent house.

Ronald Kasule the Resource Development and Donor Engagement Specialist at Habitat for Humanity Uganda said on Monday said that the Ministry has patterned with the Buganda Kingdom and the United Nations Development Program to plan for people living in informal settlements by building affordable and decent houses them.

Kasule also said that they are to sensitize ‘slum’ dwellers so that they can understand the benefit of the project and make sure that the people who are living in these areas are given priority in acquiring the proposed houses.

Judith Nabakooba the Minister for Lands Housing and Urban development said that there is need to find a lasting solution for informal settlements.  She said that the policy provides for affordability inclusiveness and bringing all stakeholders on board because some of the slums belong to private people and others to the government.

Nabakooba also said that government is to build high-rise buildings to cater for low, middle income and high-income earners.