Participation of Informal Settlers in Participatory Land Use Planning Project in Pursuit of Tenure Security

Abstract

A majority of the urban population in Dar es Salaam City in Tanzania lives in informal (unplanned) settlements. The living conditions in these settlements lack among other things, security of tenure. In response to the growing need for tenure security, the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania adopted participatory land use planning (PLUP) approaches to help local people secure rights over land and to strengthen the local management of institutions. However, the PLUP approaches often are subverted by inadequate participation of the local community. By way of a methodology, the study evaluates PLUP project under the Business and Property Formalization Programme (MKURABITA) towards enhancing tenure security of informal settlers in Baruti informal settlement in Dar es Salaam City. The research examines the perception of informal settlers in PLUP project and their level of participation in the PLUP process. Based on research findings, the researchers suggest a strategic and collaborative framework to have a lasting and sustainable impact of PLUP approach towards improving land tenure security. This research will help scholars and practitioners to understand the current state of the literature in participatory land use planning for improving tenure security. This case study as an example will shed the light on means that can be utilized in improving the level of participation of informal settlers in PLUP process.