*⃣ Total Population in 2014 was 34.6 milion *⃣ Females 51% of population *⃣ Children below 18 years 55% *⃣ Fertility rate was 5.8 children per woman. *⃣ Infant mortality 53 deaths per 1000 live births *⃣ Literacy rate 72%] *⃣ 12.5% of primary school children not going to school …
Read More »Affordable microfinance needed to boost home ownership among low-income earners
With a projected urbanization of 5.6% per annum, a more orderly response to the rapid urbanization in Uganda is needed COMMENT | Abdul Kyanika | In 2020, Uganda’s population constituted about 46 million people of whom 27% were urban residents. Urban households are predicted to grow from 2.9 million in 2020 …
Read More »Shelter Afrique fully repays commercial debts, eyes regional bonds
Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT – Pan-African housing development financier Shelter Afrique has fully paid commercial debts owed to eight lenders, giving the company the leverage to underwrite new debt. In 2018, Shelter Afrique signed a Debt Restructuring Agreement with the eight lenders – six DFIs and two commercial banks – to …
Read More »Why Biden’s tenants eviction ban faces legal challenges
Washington, USA | Xinhua | U.S. President Joe Biden has partially extended a ban on evicting tenants who have been economically impacted by COVID-19. But it remains unknown whether the moratorium will survive mounting legal challenges. Last year, after the pandemic hit, capacity restrictions on businesses such as restaurants and …
Read More »Ministry of Land innovates measures to protect land rights
NRM MANIFESTO WEEK | Land is a crucial factor in Uganda’s development agenda. This calls for stability and security of land tenure system. And, the Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development is live to this fact since it has been working hard to create an enabling environment to enable …
Read More »Cuba boosts housing program despite COVID-19 pandemic
Havana, Cuba | XINHUA | Dianelis Chavero, a 43-year-old public transport employee living in Havana’s 10 de Octubre district, is eager to move into a brand-new apartment the government has allocated to her family. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the tightening U.S. economic sanctions against the Caribbean nation, thousands of …
Read More »Harnessing Middle East labor export for real estate explosion
COMMENT | Martin Sabiiti | According to the Uganda Association (UAERA) for External Recruitment Agencies there are over 140,000 Ugandans working in the Middle East. The number could even be higher when you factor in those who are trafficked and can’t be properly accounted for. The story of labour export has …
Read More »East African real estate investors discover the working class
COMMENT | SAMUEL KARIUKI | The last 20 years of real estate boom in East Africa has changed our building landscape and inventory, as it quite rightly should have done. Our starting point was a region that was short of every kind of building, from housing, to shops, through …
Read More »Hima Cement looks to housing sector for growth
Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Over the last few years, Uganda’s cement industry has drastically changed. Hima and Tororo Cement factories have undergone major upgrades while at the same time; there has been entry of new players – Simba and Kampala Cement. The Independent’s Ronald Musoke spoke to Hima Cement’s …
Read More »Mitrelle to construct 10,000 units in Kigali
Sector players call for more incentives for low cost houses Kampala, Uganda | STEPHEN NUWAGIRA | The recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and Mitrelle Group, to construct 10,000 housing units in Rwanda has led major players to demand reassessment of priorities. The Israel-based global …
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