Moving through, by and with development corridors: livelihood and mobility impacts of the Kampala-Jinja Expressway in informal settlements in Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

Development interventions are increasingly aimed towards development corridors, particularly accross Africa. Although these corridors are framed in win-win narratives, local impacts often remain unclear. Especially urban informal settlements, where livelihoods are vulnerable, are expected to be affected negatively by these large-scale infrastructures. However, livelihood and mobility impacts of such projects are understudied. The mobility-livelihood nexus forms the backbone of this research, analysing potential impacts of a development corridor in an informal settlement context.

This study looked at the impact of a large-scale infrastructure project, the Kampala-Jinja Expressway (KJE), on three informal settlement communities: Kinawataka, Banda and Kasokoso in Kampala, Uganda. In doing so, the mobility practices and livelihood strategies of inhabitants facing displacement or living in adjacent areas were looked at. Qualitative mixed-methods field work incorporating a mobility focus allowed for an in-depth analysis of differences in current livelihoods and mobility within and between these three communities. Furthermore, a special focus was put on the expectations of the communities with regards to their livelihoods and mobility post-displacement.

Three typologies of mobility were developed: people with localized mobility patterns, people who use mobility as means to an end and inherently mobile livelihoods. It was found that generally, livelihoods and mobility did not differ greatly between the three communities. However, differences within communities were profound, leading to different expectations with regards to displacement. People with very localized mobility patters were more vulnerable to displacement since they relied on local connections or proximity. Those with integrally mobile livelihoods might be more flexible in the face of displacement, but impacts are expected to be differentiated along the lines of gender, income, employment and land tenure status.

These mobilities should be taken into account more in order to ensure people are not worse off in this project or others, and future research should consider integrating micro- and meso-mobility practices in order to incorporate a mobility justice perspective to better understand how people living in informal settlements might be impacts differently by such projects.