Regularisation or squatter incorporation? Land readjustment projects as an alternative approach for Tanzania
Driven by rapid urbanisation and housing shortages, informal settlements pose major challenges to urban development in Tanzania. This article examines the limited effectiveness of regularisation efforts to address them. It outlines the extent to which the implementation of the regularisation scheme...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of the Free State
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Town and Regional Planning |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/trp/article/view/9071 |
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| Summary: | Driven by rapid urbanisation and housing shortages, informal settlements pose major challenges to urban development in Tanzania. This article examines the limited effectiveness of regularisation efforts to address them. It outlines the extent to which the implementation of the regularisation scheme in Tanzania has impacted the conditions of informal settlements. A qualitative desktop study, including literature review with thematic analysis, was done. The analysis identified regularisation approaches in different country contexts, and in Tanzania. The article discusses the successes and challenges of informal settlement regularisation, with a focus on stakeholder involvement, land rights and tenure security, implementation costs, institutional capacity, and community awareness. Central to this discussion is that ‘regularisation without settlement transformation’ (squatter incorporation) prevails in Tanzania and undermines the success of regularisation initiatives. The failure of these initiatives preceded the poor conditions of informal settlements, and only through the adoption of large-scale land readjustment projects can these challenges be addressed. Land readjustment is a collaborative process in which landowners temporarily release their land for re-planning and infrastructure development, in return for a smaller but serviced plot or completed housing unit, ensuring more equitable and inclusive benefits for all residents of informal settlements. The article concludes that Tanzania should pair land readjustment with a strong commitment to high-density, affordable housing development supported by public institutions, as the absence of a clear housing strategy has previously led landowners to delay construction and capitalise on rising land values, undermining the programme’s objectives. |
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| ISSN: | 1012-280X 2415-0495 |