The Buganda
Kingdom has said it is seeking for partnerships with real estate
development companies to develop slums around the city and improve the
living conditions there.
Speaking at a fundraising
drive for money to construct low cost houses for the needy, Prince David
Wassajja the younger brother to Kabaka Ronald Mutebi said with 60 per
cent of the population comprising of the elderly, children and the
disabled living in slums, development of slums cannot be left to
government alone, it must involve people with better education and
exposure.
“Chances are when you are born in a poor
neighbourhood, it means poor health, poor education and chances are that
if you are born in a family that has never owned a house, you will
never own one and the cycle of poverty must be broken,” he said.
He
said in developed countries, people initially thought that by building
high-rise buildings to lock out the poor people, they thought they were
protecting themselves. Instead, it turned out that the buildings
increased crime because you cannot have rich people living side by side
with the poor.
Housing the poor
Last Friday, Habitat for Humanity and Buganda Kingdom held a fundraising dinner at the Serena Hotel to raise money to build at least 10 decent houses for the poorest people living in Buganda Kingdom.
Last Friday, Habitat for Humanity and Buganda Kingdom held a fundraising dinner at the Serena Hotel to raise money to build at least 10 decent houses for the poorest people living in Buganda Kingdom.
According
to Mr Robert Otim, the National director Habitat for Humanity, this is a
pilot project where they are trying to see how to introduce decent
accommodation in slum areas around the city at a cheaper cost.
“Buganda Kingdom has a population of 4.5 million and if the
Kabaka decided that each of his subjects contributes Shs1,000, we could
be able to close the housing deficit with the Shs4.5 billion they would
have collected,” he said.
He added that with
initiatives such as the Kabaka’s Birthday run, the Masaaza Cup if these
events are linked to improving housing in the country, there would be no
need for depending on donors because even Ugandans living in diaspora,
would be interested in investing in such projects.
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