Africa-Press – Lesotho. The Department of Housing in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftainship in partnership with the Maseru City Council (MCC) is working on the Maseru Citywide Slum Upgrading and Slum Prevention Action Plan Report.
Speaking during the meeting, the Consultant, Ms. Mantai Seeko said the main activities of the report include; undertaking a quick diagnosis of an informal settlement in Maseru City which she noted will be drawn from available data and clustering of typologies.
She further noted that there will be consultations and facilitation of thematic groups as per the NSPS through precipitation forums and action planning to develop thematic action plans.
She added that they will prepare the final draft of the Maseru Citywide Slum Upgrading Action Plan with two project concept notes to implement it in two informal settlements in Maseru.
When talking about the rationale for developing the Maseru Citywide Slum Upgrading and Prevention Action Plan, she said this is designed for the purpose of actualising the strategic proposal as outlined in the National Slum Upgrading and Prevention Strategy (NSUPS) 2022.
The purpose of the action plan as she stipulated, is to define the role of the national government and local governments to undertake integrated programs that also put in mechanisms to prevent the further proliferation of slums in Lesotho.
Ms. Seeko added that the action plan is to detail relevant actionable interventions and institutional capacities at the city level and improve the living condition of the people that reside in slummy areas in Maseru.
She stressed that the action plan will define the role of national and local governments undertaking integrated programs meant to upgrade and prevent slums from occurring.
The Action Plan will also demonstrate and institutionalise a participatory programmatic approach to addressing the challenge of slums and urban poverty in rapidly growing urban centres in Lesotho.
The principles of slum upgrading include the institutional setup for slum upgrading is relevant to stakeholders at community, city, and national levels as they all have roles to play in participatory slum upgrading, she said.
There will be stakeholders meeting that will include relevant ministries, church leaders, chiefs, councillors, schools, and many more. The Development of the Maseru City-Wide Slum Upgrading and Prevention Action Plan is supported by UN-Habitat under Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) funded by European Commission.
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