In-migration process and Its implications on the planning of housing for the low-income groups in Homa Bay town, South Nyanza District

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the implications which the process of in-migration had on the provision of planned low-cost housing in HamaBay town. In order to realize this objective, it was necessary, first: to examine the main spatial characteristics of the townI s in-migration field. The finding madewas that the more densely settled shore areas sent more low-income people to the town than the areas farther away from the lake. The shore areas were also the less endowedwith resources of economic significance. Thus, as it was also revealed in the analysis of data, most of the migrations to the town were triggered by forces of an economicnature. The second step in the study was aimed at examjning the process of in-migration to the town. This was an attempt to find out the volume, rate, pattern and timing of in-migration. What was revealed regarding the volume of in-migrants was the negative effect of distance on the propensity to migrate to the town amongthe low-inc omegroups. But with regard to the ti.ming, it was fOl.mdout that in-migration potential of the town increased as its status also changed over time. Then an attempt was made to investigate the various characteristics of low-income groups in the town with specific focus on their housing situation, and it was discovered that: a). the majority of low-income in-migrants occupy the unptanned peri-urban estates with rural similarities and where the rents are low; b). nearly all low-income in-migrants do not own any land in the town lmless it was through some historical accident. Because land ownership in towns is related to building ownership, it was fotmd out that the majority of lowincome in-migrants were tenants; c). the occupancy rates of low-income housing were much higher than those of the high and middle income groups and this, to some extent, explained why environmental conditions in low-income residential areas were so poor; d). the occupational pattern among the low-income group was a reflection of the lack of educated people in that group. This also, to some extent, explained why they earned low or no salaries at all; and

e). most low-income earners were adherents of the cultural values and social organizations of the traditional setting. In the light of the above low-income characteristics, an attempt was made to plan low-cost housing schemes both in the short-term as well as in the long-term periods. Then the following major recommendations were made:- 1). that the volume of in-migrants be reduced through promotion of productivity of land in rural South Nyanza; 2). that selective migration system be encouraged; 3). that urban-rural migration be encouraged through the strategy of returning retired workers to their landJ 4). that the rate of Homa.Bayls population growth be retained to conform with the growth centre strategy; 5). that a thorough sociological survey of the lowincome people being planned be made before construction work is done; 6). that loans of various kinds for housing construction and/or purchase be advanced to the low-income groups; and

7). that the construction of the proposed low-cost housing un1 ts be done in phases in view of the financial position of the Government and the Urban Council of Homa Bay.