The Contribution of Land Tenure and Housing to the Empowerment of Low Income Earners in Nansana Town COllncil, Wakiso District, Uganda
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Date
2011
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Abstract
Land is and remains Uganda's most valuable assel. Land tenure in Uganda is categorised
into four forms,' mailo land tenure, freehold tenure, leasehold and customOlY land tenure,
The Ugandan economy has been liberalised and is now mostly a private sector led economy
and the role of government has shifled /I'om provider to enabler. This study set out to explore
the contribution of land tenure towards social and economic empowerment of the low income
earners. This research employs a qualitative methodology which seeks to see people's
experiences through their day-to -day lived experiences and generating a deeper
understanding of the lives of low income earners. Key informant interviews, open ended
semi-structured questionnaires, non participant observation are some of the methods used to
collect data. Purposive sampling, snow balling, and random sampling are employed in
identifying respondents. The respondents chosen were 54 and they included home/house
owners, bank credit administrators, tenants, local council leaders, real estate companies and
brokers and sub-dividers.The study reveals the existence of formal and informal land markets in Nansana with the
informal sector being the key provider of land and housing to the low income earners in the
area. Majority of the people in Nansana occupy crown or Buganda kingdom land which is
untitled land. Land tenure and housing offer social empowerment to low income earners
through improving their confidence and pride, getting them accepted in society and playing a
developmental role in their community,' it gives them a permanent address and helps them to
realise lifelong aspirations. Economically, low income earners are empowered through
diversifying their incomes with the money earned from rents and saving would-be rent
money, investing their savings in tangible assets like housing and land,' and being able to
save their assets for use in old age where there is a lack of pension to live on and being able
to have enough property to pass on to the children as inheritance andfor their sustenance.Effective utilisation of Land tenure and housing for the benefit of low income earners is
impeded by institutional challenges such as bureaucracy, corruption in land offices, the high
costs of registering land,' the behaviour of sub-dividers which makes their habitats exhibit
conditions that label them as informal selliements,' government's denial of their tenure .I·tatus
and denial of services such as finanCial support and credit in banks as well market failures
such as failure to accept the land agreements of the poor as col/ateral in banks. The study
proposes institutional reforms of the Lands ministry and Buganda Land Board,' land reforms
sllch as expansion of leasehold tenure in urban areas,' financial reforms such as acceptance
of purchase agreements as collateral and inclusion of the poor in national housing finance
programs,' devising of new and innovative hollom-up planning mechanisms which involve all
stakeholders as well as increasing the capacity of local councils, Buganda Land Board,
Planning departments and civil society bllilding within selliements.
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Keywords
Contribution of Land Tenure