Planning and Implementation of Regularized Informal Settlements (Mkurabita), Tanzania

THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIAPRESIDENT’S OFFICE, STATE HOUSE

Property and Business Formalization Program

The Critical Economic Importance of Regularization of Informal Settlements in

Tanzania – The case of Njombe Town CouncilTanzania – The case of Njombe Town Council

Presented by Seraphia Mgembe at the International Symposium held in New Delhi

INDIA7th to 9th October, 2014

Contents�Background

�Other Government initiatives

�What is MKURABITA

�The Participatory Approaches

�Important Steps in the Regularization ProcessImportant Steps in the Regularization Process

�Capitalization of formalized properties

�Achievements in Regularization of informal settlements

�Social economic Benefits

�Challenges

�Conclusion and Way Forward

Background�The Tanzania’s experience on the Critical

Importance of Formalizing Slums Dwellers for Social Economic Development in Tanzania.

�Formalizing Slums Dwellers/ or improving the unplanned settlements is part and parcel of the unplanned settlements is part and parcel of the Tanzania’s development agenda that aims at “Creating Better Life for All”

�The problem of slums/ unplanned settlement has existed for a long time in Tanzania during colonial time, after independence and still dominant today.

SITUATION IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

• Saturated houses and densely populated,

• Shortage of surveyed land and inadequate infrastructure,

Background • 81% of urban properties are outside the formal

system. As a result it infrastructural development is not done according to the plans.

• Informal settlements in major urban areas is • Informal settlements in major urban areas is between 45% and 70%.

• High urbanization rate standing at 4.5% per annum (Table 1).

1948 1957 1967 1978 1988 2002 2012

Total National

Population in

(000)

7,480 8,786 11,959 ,17050 22,533 34,569 44,929

Total Urban

Population in

(000)

184 364 686 2,260 6,200 7,970 13,305

Percentage of 2.5 4.1 5.7 13.78 17.9 23 29.6

TABLE 1: URBAN POPULATION TRENDS 1948 - 2012

Percentage of

Urban Population

in Relation to

National

Population

2.5 4.1 5.7 13.78 17.9 23 29.6

Growth Rate of

Urban Population

1948 –

1957

1957 –

1967

1967 –

1978

1978 –

1988

1988 – 2002 2002 – 2012

6.5 6.0 11.1 9.6 13 21.7

Source: Tanzania population census 1948 - 2012

Government initiatives on unplanned settlements

• Slums Clearance Program 1969

• National Sites Services and Squatter Upgrading Program (1972 - 1990)

• Sustainable Dar es salaam Cities Project (1992 )

• Community Infrastructure Upgrading Program • Community Infrastructure Upgrading Program (CIUP) (2003 - 2012).

• Unplanned Urban Settlement Regularization (2004).

• Property and Business Formalization Program popularly known in its Kiswahili acronym as MKURABITA.

What is MKURABITA

• MKURABITA is a Swahili acronym for Property and Business Formalization Program.

• Conceived in October 2004, the Government focused on the need to create a unified legal and institutional framework that recognizes secured and accessible property and business rights. business rights.

• With technical support of the Institute of Liberty and Democracy (ILD) under the leadership of Hernado de Soto of Lima Peru the Program was conceived to be implemented in four phases namely; Diagnostic of the Extralegal sector, Reform Design, Implementation as well as Capital Formation and Good Governance.

What is MKURABITA (cont….)

• MKURABITA is a tool of empowering the property owners in the informal sector whose entry into the formal market economy will raise chances for accessing capital.

• MKURABITA is therefore a tool for poverty • MKURABITA is therefore a tool for poverty reduction and economic growth.

• The best practice being shared was implemented in 2009 in Njombe Town Council with close collaboration and cooperation with Njombe Town Council.

• In 2010 the same work was replicated in MorgoroMunicipal Council and Arusha City Council.

The UN Award and its social

economic impact

• In 2010 MKURABITA worn a UNPSAs Award (2nd placed after Tunisia) in the category of Improved Public Service Delivery.

• In 2011 MKURABITA took the 1st position • In 2011 MKURABITA took the 1st position followed by Tunisia (same category).

• After the 2011 Award the project was replicated in Tunduma Township, KinondoniMunicipality, Iringa Municipality, and BabatiTownship.

The UN Award and its social

economic impact

• Reduction of land conflicts.

• Use of the formalized land/ plots as collaterals for loans in financial institutions.

• For example out of the 650 Certificate of • For example out of the 650 Certificate of Right of Occupancy issued in Njombe 54 of them were used to get loans to the tune of Tshs. 840,000,000 from the National Microfinance Bank. This is equivalent to about US$ 525,000.00

The approach in regularizing informal settlement

• The approach used in regularizinginformal settlement is capacity building tolocal government authorities.

• The approach is premised on community• The approach is premised on communityparticipation as a guiding principle.

• Promoting local acceptance, commitment,financing, local ownership and hencesustainability of the formalization agenda.

STEPS IN THE REGULARIZATION PROCESS

� Awareness to Stakeholders

Before fieldwork, public awareness campaigns were conducted to:

• Meeting with Regional Commissioner (RC),

• District Commissioner (DC), • District Commissioner (DC),

• Council Management Team.

• Local leaders (Councilors, Ward Executive Officers (WEOs), Sub-ward leaders) and

• Communities.

Institutional Setting

Central GovernmentMinistry of Lands

(Approval Processes)

Local Government(City/Municipal, Town Council)

Directors-PlanningSurvey & MappingChief Valuer

Prepare Planning Schemes &(City/Municipal, Town Council)

Ward and Sub-ward level

Schemes &Cadastral Plans

Participate in mobilizationOf the Communities

Beneficiaries/General Public Participate in planning& implementation

STEPS IN THE REGULARIZATION PROCESS cont…

Awareness campaign - Meeting with CMT and Councilors, Njombe Town Council


Awareness campaign – Meeting with local leaders (WDC)

STEPS IN THE REGULARIZATION PROCESS cont….

Awareness to community – Meeting with residents

STEPS IN THE REGULARIZATION PROCESS cont…..

�Training of the Technical Team• Training to Council Staff is an innovation to decentralize

powers for the councils to implement formalizationactivities efficiently without depending much on theCentral Government ,

• Training is on understanding the program and urbanland formalization objectives,

• Guidelines and procedures for implementation ofschemes of regularization,

• Conducting property identification questionnaire,• Data gathering using Geographical Information Systems

(GIS), Arc GIS software,• Preparation of cadastral plans and deed plans using

AutoCAD software.


Training to Council staff


Property identification

• Use of questionnaires and taking photos of

land owner(s) conducted parallel with land

surveying


Establishment of comprehensive database

With both graphics and individual land owner’s information, comprehensivedatabase is established using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software.


Land surveying in Idundilanga – Njombe township

A. MKURABITA survey team B. Njombe Town Council survey team


Land surveying at Sakina area – Arusha Municipal Council

Total station

Prism for targeting

Ranging pole


Preparation of scheme of regularization basing on satellite image –Njombe Township

• Schemes of regularizationand surveying is doneconcurrently.• Draft of regularizationschemes and a general planshowing individualproperties/land, where tolocate infrastructurallocate infrastructuralservices and othercommunity facilities likeschools, health facilitiesetc., is submitted anddisplayed to residents in 14days for comments andacceptance.• Presented to UrbanPlanning Committee forrecommendation toauthorized authorities forapproval.


Cadastral plan for Idundilanga – Njombe township

Preparation of cadastral plans


�Approval of Schemes of Regularization and Survey Plans

• Schemes of regularization, are submitted to theDirector of Planning for approval and thereafterCadastral Plans are submitted to the Director ofCadastral Plans are submitted to the Director ofSurveys and Mapping in Ministry of LandsHousing and Human Settlements Developmentfor approval.


Preparation of Certificate of Right of Occupancy

• This is done by councilstaff using a softwareknown as AutoCad toprepare deed plans.

• Owner to submitapplication form

• Certificates and deed plansprepared, printed and sentto owners for verification,

• Sent to the Zonal AssistantCommissioner forendorsement andregistration.


Registered CRO by Zonal Registrar of Titles


Launching issuing of CRO’s to Idundilanga residents in Njombe Township

• Once the Certificates are registered they are issued to owners.

• The owners are required to pay the contributions in full before the certificates are issued.

Capitalization of Formalized Properties

• Capitalization of the formalized assets marks the ultimate objective of the formalization process.

• MKURABITA provides information to • MKURABITA provides information to owners on the opportunities that are available for using their formalized properties to access capital.

• It also provides training to the respective owners of the formalized properties.

Achievements in Njombe Town Council

• Willingness to contribute financial resources andland for public purposes.

• Residents have contributed Tshs. 59,000,000

• Njombe Town Council has used Tshs. 25,000,000 to survey another area called 25,000,000 to survey another area called Kambarage whereby 694 plots have been surveyed.

• Sustainability is evident as contributions from Kambarage will be used to survey other areas

• About 54 residents have used their properties as collateral and obtained loans worth Tshs842,000,000

Social economic benefitsLand owners demolish their properties in order to provide access after community mobilization

Social Economic Benefits cont….

• The local ownership and commitment promotereplication of the initiative in other areas.

• The capacity building ensures existence oftechnical and Human resources at the localgovernment authority’s levelgovernment authority’s level

• Experience from Njombe provided assurancethat implementation of revolving fund ispossible.

• The government is now in the process ofestablishing District Revolving fund in a mode ofguarantee to mitigate the insufficient financingchange.

Challenges1. Lack of land for public useIn many cases where people squatter there is noland which is left for public use. But in order for aplace to be regularized there must be land which isallocated for public use like roads, schools,dispensaries or health centersSolution:Solution:Massive mobilization that facilitated availabilitythrough purchase from owners or free offers fromOthers

Challenges2. Initial cost very highThe calculation for the cost of the regularizationexercise was over Tshs. 100,000,000 (Usd. 63,000).Most of the urban councils would not manage tohave this sum of money

Solution:Solution:MKURABITA provides the seed capital through theGovernment budget other stakeholders are invitedto join hands with MKURABITA

Challenges3. Absenteeism of Landlords

Where Landlords were declared absent it

was not possible to continue with the

identification exercise.

Solution:

Mass mobilization, sensitization, local leaders’

representation, this required acceptance and

collaboration by the communities.

Challenges4. Suspicion and distrust

Being a new project there was a lot of suspicionand distrust among the communities.Formalization has been understood as a verydifficult exercise and costly.difficult exercise and costly.

Solution:

Emphasize on transparency, timeliness,adequate sensitization and inclusion of localand community leaders.

Challenges

5. Few Technical Staff members

Most of the urban council technical staff are fewe.g. in Njombe town Council working with landsector, one Professional Town Planner, TwoLand officers’ technicians and one SurveyLand officers’ technicians and one SurveyTechnician without assistants in both fields.

Solution:

Borrow staff from the Regional Administration,technical personnel should be known beforestarting urban land formalizationimplementation.

Challenges

6. Lack of Staff for empowernment ofbeneficiaries formalized Propertieson Capital Formation

This service is normally provided byThis service is normally provided byprivate firms and is very expensive

Solution:

Train Local Government Staff andmobilize private firms to reduce the cost,since the market is wider

Conclusion and Way Forward

• MKURABITA will continue to build capacity tothe Local Government Authorities along withempowering the owners in capital formation.

• MKURABITA will vigorously use the private• MKURABITA will vigorously use the privatesector to promote speed of the formalizationagenda. (Effective use of the PPP Act)

• MKURABITA calls upon friends anddevelopment partners to partner with theGovernment through MKURABITA in financingthe activities in the Five years strategic plan.

Thank You For Thank You For Thank You For Thank You For Your AttentionYour Attention!

Planning and Implementation of Regularized Informal Settlements (Mkurabita), Tanzania

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of Planning and Implementation of Regularized Informal Settlements (Mkurabita), Tanzania