KAMPALA: Uganda’s housing stakeholders have called for stronger partnerships, affordable financing, innovative construction and better land-use planning as the country seeks practical ways of narrowing its 2.4 million-unit housing deficit.
The call was made Monday during the National Housing Dialogue held at Hotel Africana in Kampala to commemorate World Habitat Day under the theme, “Adequate Housing for All: Closing Uganda’s Housing Gap through Affordable, Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions.”
The dialogue, convened by Habitat for Humanity Uganda and the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development with partners, brought together government officials, financial institutions, development partners, civil society, academia and private-sector players.
Director of Housing at the Ministry, Dave Khayangayanga, said the dialogue was intended to move beyond discussions and produce practical steps for addressing the housing challenge.
“At the end of it, we shall have not only a report, but also an action plan on how to address the housing question in Uganda,” Khayangayanga said.
He said the multi-stakeholder approach was necessary because housing challenges require cooperation between government, communities, financial institutions, developers and other actors.
Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Hon Judith Nabakooba said housing should no longer be treated mainly as a social welfare issue, arguing that it is closely linked to Uganda’s economic transformation.
“The housing question is no longer simply about where Ugandans live. It is about how Uganda grows, how our cities function, how our families build wealth, how our young people find employment and how communities withstand climate shocks,” Nabakooba said.
She said Uganda needs about 300,000 housing units annually to narrow the deficit, against an estimated current production of about 60,000 units.
Nabakooba, however, said the deficit also represents an opportunity for investment, employment and innovation.
“A housing deficit of this magnitude represents a substantial market for investment, innovation and job creation,” she said. “The question before us is therefore not simply how we build more houses. It is how we build the right houses.”
Nabakooba said particular attention should be given to low-income households, young people and workers in the informal sector, who often struggle with construction costs, land prices and access to finance.
She called for cheaper and longer-term mortgages, saying current double-digit mortgage rates make home ownership difficult for many Ugandans. “How do we make housing finance more affordable for a young person who is just leaving university or beginning life?” she asked.
The Minister also urged stakeholders to embrace compact urban development, climate-resilient construction and better physical planning to reduce urban sprawl and ensure housing is connected to roads, water, sanitation, electricity, schools and health facilities.
Nabakooba said the ultimate goal should be to ensure that affordable housing remains safe, durable, healthy and dignified.
“Affordable housing must not mean poor-quality housing,” she said. “Affordable housing must be safe, durable, healthy, serviced and dignified.”
Paul Okiring, the Managing Director of Habitat for Humanity Uganda, said the housing challenge should be viewed as an opportunity for collective action.
“Today, therefore, we are not simply discussing houses. We are discussing the future of Uganda’s people, cities, communities and the economy at large,” Okiring said.
He called for greater use of housing microfinance, savings groups and housing cooperatives to help households that cannot access conventional mortgages. “If we are serious about expanding access to housing, then we must address the biggest constraints. One of them is land,” Okiring said.
He also called for systematic land registration and titling, digitisation of land administration, stronger women’s land rights and increased investment in serviced land around rapidly growing urban centres.
Okiring said Habitat for Humanity Uganda’s three-year strategy to 2028 would focus on building more and better homes, transforming housing systems and inspiring action for housing.
Owek. Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, Second Deputy Katikkiro of Buganda, similarly challenged stakeholders to shift from discussing what needs to be done to determining how it can be done.
“So, how do we move from the what to the how? I think the dialogue should be focusing on that,” Nsibirwa said.
He proposed an electronic platform where stakeholders could share housing policies, innovations, technologies and successful approaches to reduce duplication and encourage learning.
He also called for regular practical workshops focused on specific issues such as affordable housing finance for young people, tenure security and low-cost construction technologies.
Evelyn Frances Aguti, Programs Director at Habitat for Humanity Uganda, said the dialogue should produce measurable commitments rather than remain a forum for discussion.
“We are not here simply to discuss the challenge. We want to look at solutions, and not just discuss solutions, but identify practical solutions,” Aguti said.
She urged stakeholders to work together on affordable land, housing finance and construction while promoting inclusive and climate-resilient housing.
“The success of this dialogue will not be measured only by the quality of the discussions we have today. It will be measured by the actions and commitments that follow,” she said.
Urban development specialist Commissioner Samuel Mabala said affordable housing would require stronger links between incomes and housing finance.
“We need to look at how people can access finance to build or acquire homes. If someone is earning an income, there must be a way of connecting that income to affordable housing finance,” Mabala said.
He proposed greater use of long-term financing, including pension funds, strengthening institutions such as the National Housing and Construction Corporation and making housing finance more accessible.
The speakers agreed that closing Uganda’s housing gap will require more than government intervention, with partnerships across the public, private and community sectors emerging as a central theme of the dialogue.