Magellan Luboyera, the Senior Town Clerk for Nyendo-Mukungwe division indicates that their decision to gazette some of the selected slums is intended to reduce the negative consequences of illegal structures that may befall the city and it continues to urbanize.
A cross-section of Masaka City's Areal view, in Nyendo Township, part of which was already developed as a Slum. The Physical Planning Committee is now moving to reorganize such areas
The physical planning department of Masaka City Council has considered adjustments in its structure development regulations to integrate some of the area's fast-growing slums.
The city authorities have agreed to gazette some of the already
existing slums in the area, to guide any further construction
activities that may be undertaken.
Magellan Luboyera, the
Senior Town Clerk for Nyendo-Mukungwe division indicates that their decision to
gazette some of the selected slums is intended to reduce the negative consequences
of illegal structures that may befall the city and it continues to urbanize.
In the meantime, he says, they have chosen Misaali ward; one of
the fast-growing satellite towns located at one of the elevated outskirts of
Nyendo township, as a pilot area for reorganizing slums.
He explains that many people acquired undersized plots of land in the area and went ahead to construct unplanned shambolic housing units that should be condemned for demolition under physical planning laws.
However, the department has considered to systematically integrate the slum and its houses into the new comprehensive
City Physical Plan and Architectural design, to correct some of the irregularities.
Luboyera indicates that the technical planners are undertaking
to survey the slum to accordingly design ideal housing prototypes for residents
in the area.
//Cue in:
“abazimba nga tebalina…..Cue out: …..eteeka
bwerigamba.”//
He says that besides helping the City to stop cluttered infrastructural
developments, the idea is also going to enhance local revenue collection because
many people will now be able to obtain structural plans.
According to Luboyera, their investigations have established
that some low-income earners stealthily undertaking illegal constructions in
the area because, they could not afford the normal plan approval fees, hence
messing up the town.
Martin Kigozi, the Masaka City Senior Physical Planner is
optimistic that the adjustment will address the problem of untidy growing
slums, something that is currently giving them a headache.
He says some people have been either shrewdly conniving or
beating the low enforcement teams to put illegal structures, hence messing up with the town’s
structural plans beyond repair
The new slum-tailored prototypes according to him; are
designed with the provision of reasonable green spaces and access routes. He adds
that they are going to all local councils one chairpersons in the selected communities
to popularize the idea for its strict enforcement.
He however decries tendencies of impunity and high-handedness of some well-connected individuals who blatantly ignore technical guidance
before undertaking construction.
Notably, according to the National Planning Authority-NPA
report for last year, only 25 percent of the existing National Physical Development
Planning framework was found be implemented across that country, something that
exposes communities to great risks of eventualities.
