The rapid transformation of Wakiso District from a largely rural setting to an urban extension of Kampala City has caused an emergence and expansion of informal settlements.
Across the district, rising demand for affordable land, population growth, rural-urban migration and increasing land values are pushing residents into densely populated neighbourhoods, where planning, access roads, drainage and housing standards are inadequate.
Ms Ruth Nakatudde, the Wakiso District principal physical planner, says the growth of informal settlements is being driven by demographic and economic pressures, with land fragmentation emerging as one of the major contributors.
“Everyone is looking for an affordable plot of land for settlement. They want to stay near Kampala, probably where they are employed or operating their businesses,” she explains.
Wakiso’s close proximity to Kampala has made it particularly attractive to people who work in the capital, but cannot afford to live there.
Ms Nakatudde says Wakiso Sub-county, one of the 17 sub-counties in the district, is among the fastest-growing areas because of its closeness to Kampala.
“People choose to stay here (in Wakiso) because they want to reduce transportation costs,” she says.
Source: monitor.co.ug
