PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON HOUSING (PFOH)

  

BACKGROUND.

PARLIAMENTARY FORUM ON HOUSING (PFOH)

Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH) was incorporated and registered on 20th July, 2023. It was put in place with a principle purpose of eliminating poor housing in Uganda by empowering the most vulnerable communities to overcome the chronic lack of decent and affordable housing. Members of Parliament shall use this platform to deliberate on matters relating to low cost and affordable housing in Uganda.

The main objectives for which the forum was established are:

  1. To strengthen the visibility of Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH) in the country. This objective is intended to explore the existence and relevance of the forum and make it known to the general public through its affordable housing related activities.
  2. To advocate for the development of effective sectoral regulations for affordable housing. This is intended to promote affordable housing policies which address societal housing poverty related issues.
  3. To carry out operational research to inform affordable housing related decision making process. This is intended to provide information on the existing affordable housing related gaps in order to generate evidence based housing policies.
  4. To strengthen the sustainability of the Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH). This focuses on resource mobilisation to support the life span of Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH).
  5. Advocate for rational resource allocation and utilisation for affordable housing related interventions. The intention of this objective is to ensure adequate resource allocation to affordable housing and efficiency in using these resources.

Key Principles.

The forum works in partnership to reinforce cooperation between Parliamentarians, policy makers, the local community, civil society, development institutions, and non- governmental organizations as well as the private sector.

  1. People Centred.
  2. Public-Private Partnerships and Collaboration.
  3. Systems Approach.

Core Priority Themes

URBAN

RURAL

  • Slum Upgrading
  • Secure Tenure
  • Disaster Resilience
  • Inclusive Housing Markets
  • Affordable Housing for the Vulnerable
  • Human and Social Capital 
  •  Economic Capital

Mandate of the Forum

To advocate for better sectoral policy formulation and management on all housing issues in the country.

Vision

Sustainable Access to safe and affordable housing for all.

Mission

Advocate for increased access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene through regulation and coordinated efforts across all sectors in Uganda.

Values

  • Transparency 
  • Teamwork
  • Accountability 
  • Integrity
  • Social inclusion
  • Professionalism (Excellence)

THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENT.

One of the key actors with the capacity to generate the much needed action is the Legislative Arm of Government, the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda. Members of Parliament have the opportunity and responsibility to adopt policy, legislation and budgets that will support the development and implementation within the housing sector:

  • Prioritize the home as a lever for equitable human development to alleviate poverty, improve developmental outcomes, generate economic growth and care for the environment. Adequate housing and informal settlement upgrading are fundamental for the future direction of urban development.
  • Take a comprehensive approach to housing interventions in informal settlements by including tenure security, basic services, climate resilience and the empowered participation of residents. This helps ensure the integration of housing and informal settlement upgrading programs into the urban plans of local governments and, by recognizing informal settlement residents as empowered actors in spaces that usually render them invisible, influences wider governance systems in ways that tackle inequalities in power structures.
  • Elevate informal settlement upgrading as a means of achieving international development and transformation. Overseas development assistance has grown over decades, with focuses on such areas as health, education, economic growth, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Governments must evaluate their lack of prioritization and investment in solutions for people in informal settlements, including through housing.
  • Prioritize knowledge and data by, about and for informal settlement communities in a way that connects data to decision-making. Major gaps in data on housing — and its larger impacts — threaten to compromise the development of informed policy commitments and decision-making

processes. At the same time, grassroots groups of informal settlement residents and their support networks have been collecting data and generating knowledge, demonstrating the importance that knowledge plays in bringing about housing improvements in these settlements.

  • Inclusionandparticipationofresidentswithininformalsettlements:theresidents form a critical element of the urban labour force and improvements within these settlements cannot be realized without the full participation of the residents.
  • Empowering the capacity of the land committee. Capacity building for local government land committees in matters of land governance and leadership will enhance understanding of policies in the short term and tenure security for the long term. The policy provisions for the engagement of local structures does not outline the qualifications and competences required. This may account for the delays experienced by those seeking various housing related services. Besides advocating for increased funding of such structures, stakeholder partnership is required to support capacity building.
  • Allocation of resources for implementation of the policy for equitable housing: Population growth rates, urbanising trends and rural-urban movements indicate the increasing need for affordable housing. The emerging urban pressure for housing in displaced to the informal settlements. Development partner (Habitat For Humanity Uganda (HFHU)) asks the policy makers specifically the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD) and the Parliamentary Committee of Physical Infrastructure to lobby for increased funding to the directorate of Housing and Housing finance players. All policies related to housing underscore the right to adequate housing as a key principal upon which are anchored.

    CONTACT PERSONS:

  1. HON. NDYOMUGYENYI ROLAND
    Chairperson | Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH) & Member of Parliament, Rukiga County, Rukiga District.
    Tel: +256 772 552 954 | Email: rndyomugyenyi@parliament.go.ug
  2. HON. KASOLO ROBERT
    Vice Chairperson | Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH) &
    Member of Parliament, Iki-Iki County, Budaka District
    Tel: +256 755 617 847 | +256 772 425 754 | Email: rkasolo@parliament.go.ug
  3. TUMURAMYE MICHAEL
    Program Coordinator | Parliamentary Forum on Housing (PFOH)
    Tel: +256774878466 | +256 701 878 466 | Email: info.pfoh@parliament.go.ug

Physical Address:

Parliamentary Forum On Housing (PFOH). Development House, Plot 9-11, Parliament Avenue, Ground Floor, Room G-22,
P. O. Box 7178, Kampala, Uganda.