June 2011

As the deadline draws near for traders and squatters occupying the Race Course to vacate the place to enable commencement of the multi-purpose city complex, information gathered by The Chronicle indicates that there is massive scramble for space at the alternate site provided by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA).

Kenya Power has postponed plans to increase power tariffs until the economy stabilize. In a statement, Kenya power says it will revisit the review once the situation improves. The power distribution firm says it requires to generate revenue to purchase additional bulk power, and meet operational costs of the expanding distribution network and customer services.

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has expressed readiness to build pillars between the borders of states across the country to curb border disputes on borders in the country.

There seems to be some good news coming from the government for aspiring home owners, especially low-income earners.

The housing market is a unique enterprise that requires good prejudgement from both the buyer and seller. The very fact that we lack regulation and good market updates, the industry is more profit- driven than service-driven. In the end, both the buyers, brokers and sellers are reaped off one by another.

A Kisumu court has ordered the demolition of a newly-constructed houses worth more than Sh2 billion over a ownership row. The 142 houses on a six-acre plot were ordered to be demolished after former allottee Kiduruban Sacco went to court to be given back their land that had been repossessed by the Kisumu Municipal Council. Kisumu High Court Judge Abida Ali Aroni ruled June 6 that the Sacco regain ownership of the plot and demolish the houses.

Shareholders of a tea factory in Nyamira have resolved to contribute money to construct another tea processing factory. The new factory is expected to ease congestion at Nyansiongo factory.

On Thursday 30th June at 14h00 the Most Revd Dr Thabo Makgoba, Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, will lead a delegation from the Western Cape Religious Leaders' Forum to a number of informal settlements in Khayelitsha, to stand in solidarity with local people suffering from inadequate sanitation. The Social Justice Coalition will be conducting the visit.

Six Roofings Rolling Mills workers have been admitted to Nsambya Hospital in critical condition after they were injured in a blast at their factory in Namanve Industrial Area yesterday.

The Federal Government would build additional 10,000 houses for displaced Bakassi residents, Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo has said.

Ten families who came close to being evicted this week will remain in their shacks until a court decides their fate.

The troubled housing sector is set for a major face-list as a U.K based firm, Global Pathways, in partnership with the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, REDAN, has concluded arrangement to invest $1b (155bn) in a new technology that will employ the use of containers to construct low cost houses in Nigeria.

One of the major factors in determining real estate prices is the cost of cement. In Uganda, we have two leading cement factories of Tororo and Hima. In 2009, the total output for the two factories was 1,162,241 metric tons while imported cement accounted for 566,082 tons. Our local manufacturers exported 390,476 tons into the regional market. (Ubos 2010)

Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale has undertaken to get to the bottom of an alleged case of conflict of interest and corruption, which has rocked the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC).