BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF LAND ADMINISTRATION

Assessment of INFORMAL SETTLEMENT IN BAHIR DAR

ZURIYA WOREDA IN CASE OF YIBAB KEBELE

By
AbaynehKebie

SUBMITTED TO INSTITUTE OF LAND ADMINSTARTION (ILA): BAHIR DAR

UNIVERSITY IN partial FULFILLMENT FOR DEGREE OF B.SC IN LAND
ADMINSTRATION.

Advisor: Getachew Tesfaye

June, 2014

BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA

 1 .Introduction

1.1 Background of the study

In developing countries like Ethiopia both urban and rural area have customary basic of
land holding system, this customary holding encourages informal and traditional
settlements and rapid growth of cites rapid growth of cities result informal settlements in
the area and the growth of informal settlements in turn resulted complex socio- economic
and environmental damages informal settlements are dense settlements under condition of
informal land tenure (Brruna, and William, 1983).

The existence & regular settlements in many cities of the developing world reflects
increasing disparities’ in the distribution of wealth and resources ensuring equitable access
to land has always task for many governments even through the majority and the obstacles
hampering access to land the urban poor are almost oblivions informality has manifested
itself at various scale of the land management system including landaquision, land tiling
among others equation. Among a host of others symptom of such deficiencies has the
existence of illegal settlements and the rise of legal disputes associated with land
management’s issue.

In general informal settlements are a common problem across the county including Bahir
Dar zuria woreda, Yibab Kebele.

General Comments:

1. Add table of content

2. Abstract, page number, list of tables, acronyms/Abbreviations
3. Start with chapter One
1.2 Statement of the problem

Major informal settlement areas are found in the peripheral area of theBahir Dar Zuria
where they are characterized by their irregular shape as a result they have significantly
contributed to the unplanned and rapid horizontal expansion of the built-area. As the result
of rapid horizontal expansion and spontaneous growth diffrent types of problems has
occurred. One of the problem is the emergence of informal settelements, in this study
informal settlements refers to those residential housing units, publicity owned land
without the legal without the legal claims, autoriization or permissions from the relevant
authorities.

Informal settlements are tackle for the provision of infrastructures and for the urban
beauty.In constrast these people which are living informally are leading alarm life without
basic urban services and government consedration.

There are some estimating problems here , the one is the problem of the people which are
living under consideration without basic services and the second in that their impacts on
the rest of the population and also health services, electric power, lack of drinking water,
school services, prevalence of environmental problems, all this are the intention of the
research, so the research would help in order to alleviate and balance these other
problems by the government and other concerned body to design a solution, these solution
well be organize urban plan system over come sustainable development and to safeguard
the complex life of informal settlers, like other cites in Ethiopia, Bahir Dar particularly my
study area yibab kebele expected to affect by such problem.
1.3 Objective of the study

1.3.1. General objective

The main objective of this study is to identify the impact of informal settlement
on settlers in Bahir Dar Zuria Woreda Yibab kebele.

1.3.2 Specific objectives of the study are:

The Specific objectives of the study are:

1. To identify the major cause and impact of informal settlement

2. To assess how informal settlements are obstacle for sustainable
development.
3. To examine the impact of informal settlements for the society and the
government.
4. To identify the possible solutions that needs to be taken by the
government or concerned body.
1.4. Research questions
This research will expected to answer the following major research
questions.
1. What would be the cause and impacts of informal settlements?
2. What are the driving forces leading to informal settlement and
problems associated with it?
3. How informal settlement affects sustainable development?
4. What would be the possible solutions that can be taken by
government and the concerned body?
1.5. Limitation of the study

In this study different challenges were faced, the most difficult challenges was
lack of data or information because different respondents were not voluntary to
help the researcher in a good phase. Finally the challenge was scarce of
technological instruments such as internets.

1.6 Definitions of basic terms

Terms which are new in this study are defined as follows

- Informal settlements – Any settlements which are formed without plan.

- Customary land tenure- Is the process of land holding system based on
traditional or cultural holding through in her stance of land.
- Shanty house- It is a small house built of piece of wood temporary metal
and boards where very poor people live especially on the edge of the city.
- UN authorized housing- Is unplanned settlement and area where
housing is not in compliance with current planning and blinding
regulation.
- Squatter settlements- Settlement that are formed with temporary
material without legal land question
- Sustainable development- It is a development that meets the present
generations without compromising the ability of future generation t meet
there own needs.
1.6 Significant of the study

This study would be studies the impact of informal settlement,

Therefore the study would be shows,

- The general socio economic impact of informal settlements for this kebele and
problems that are faced on over them and would informs for the government,
- I would expected that it will serve as reference for further studiers regarding to
informal settlements in Bahir Dar Zaria woreda especially, Yibab kebele.
- And also I would expected to use as guidance for the planned and designees.

1.7 Scope of the study

The study has extended to dig out major problems of informal settlements. The study
includes the solution of informal settlements and assessed the current nature of informal
settlements in Bahir Dar Zaria yibab kebele.

1.8 Organization and structure of the study

This study would organized five chapters, the first chapter is above introduction
part of the research, the second is about review of different related literatures, the
third chapter explained briefly about characteristics of the study area and the
sample kebele, the fourth chapter is about data analysis and discussion, the final and
fifth chapter would included discussion , the final and fifth chapter would included
summary of findings and recommendation the detail of the study,
Chapter Three

3. General Characteristics of the study area

3.1 Historical back ground of Bahir Dar
The historical development of Bahir Dar city associated with the establishment of
kidanemiret church in the present site, the place was known as Bahir Dar Giorgis.
The master plan was prepared for the town from the plan development and it is
obvious that the city was established in its present form in the late 1940, Bahir Dar
town as a capital of Amhara national regional state since 1991 as an important
urban centre and one of the fast growing cities in Ethiopia, In particular the city has
made dramatic development and growth in population size in the last 15 years,
Know by regulation No 17/2003; it has been identified as ametroppolitan city
administration.
3.2 Physical Characteristics of Bahir Dar
3.2.1 Location of Bahhir Dar
Bahir Day city located North western part of Ethiopians 565 Km away of Addis
abeba , on plateau at the southern part of lake tan a (mulukenk, 2011) p34 ) .The
urban area generally flat the altitude of urban built up area is 1795 above the sea
level. Ranging from 1986 to 1810m above the sealevel (ID). The absolute location of
the city center is 11 35 30’’ N and 37 23’ 30’’ E, (Id) Bahir Dar city is located with an
extent of 16000 hectares and the comp temperature mastey plan of town in
compasses largely rivral surrounding agreicultural land which strechedd to west up
to yibab eyesus, to the east up to Abune hara dingle and the south up to Igir ber
kottetima plateau (muluken k, (2011) P2. The four rural kebele namely hiday 11,
zenzelma, wormite, and addisalem are include in the main city administration
starting from 2002, (Achamelec G.(2002).
3.3. Population projection
As of July 2000, the population of the main city of Bahir Dar was
estimated to be 170,000 without including population of the already
included for neighbor hoods rural villages the town density works out of
5700 person per of KM for the main city the population of Bahir Dar , in
1994 was 96,000 the average annual growth rate between 1994 and
2004, work out of 5% adapting this growth rate . However the population
projection for Bahir Dar for the year 2006 was over 269,000 including
the newly included rural kebeles (CSA 2005, annual stastical (report).
3.4 characteristics of the sample kebele
3.4.1 over view of yibab kebele
Yibab kebele is one of the 32 th kebele in Bahir dar zuria woreda. This
kebele is bounded by kebele 14 in East, Woramit kebele in North, ,
yinesa kebele in south and chinta kebele in west. Different estimation
show s that this kebele has a total population of 4659 people are lived
among those people 2357 are males and 2302 are females. The leveli
hoods of people in this kebele are agriculture, currently informal
settlement in this kebele spread.
3.5 Research methodology
3.5.1 Site Selection
This study would conducted in Bahir Dar which is the capital city of Amhara
national regional state and the specifically in yibab kebele. The place was selected
purposely because; this kebele is the dense populated by informal settlements,
3.5.2 Sampling technique and target population
In this study the researcher would apply simple random sampling technique for the
sake of managing the population and the population is homogenous and has similar
characteristics, in this study expected at least 35 respondents which are the
residents of the kebele are asked through the questironnaires and systematic
interview is conduct for the experts of municipality and kebele administration of the
yibab kebele.
3.5.3 Data Source and Data collection
During this study the researcher was used primary and secondary data sources, and
the questionnaires were prepared for those selected individuals, experts by face to
face interview.
As a secondary source of data the study was used different books, directives,
strategies, journals and electronic instruments including internet websites,
3.5.4Data analysis and way of presentation
After the data was collected from different organization and individuals through
quaternaries, filed observation and oral discussion with residents and informal
settlers, the researcher has organize the data using tables and the results are
present with ratio or percentage system.
 CHAPTER FOUR
4. RUSULT AND DISCUSSION
4.1 DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERSTICS OF THE RESPONDENTS

The data analysis and discussion of the research is the main part of the research. This
chapter organized based on systematic interview for different experts and questionnaires
were prepared for the respondents of the informal settlement. This chapter divided in to
different sub- topics, the first part of the chapter considered the nature of informal
settlements in the study area, the cause of informal settlements, the impact of informal
settlements on the settlers and their impact on urban neighborhoods which will be
followed by the nature of land acquisition and the measurement that are taken by regional
government to prevent and retard the informals,

4.1.1Age structure of the respondents

Age of respondents’ plays an important role in the house hold is decision making on
informal settlement.

As can be seen from the figure below 45% were founded in the age category of 20 and 40
years and 50 % in the age category of 41-54 years while remaining 5 % were above 54
years. The minimum and the maximum age of the respondents are 20 and 54 respectively.
Therefore, from this data we conclude that the large share of sample respondent’s fall in
the category of (41-54
Table: 4.1 Distribution of sample respondents (in formal settlers) by age category

Age group (yr) Number Percentage

20-40 15 43
45-54 14 40
544 and above 6 17
Total 35 100

Source: own survey (2014)

4.1.2 Educational status of the respondents
Education is important because of livelihood of the people largely depends upon
knowledge and information, the result of the survey shows that the educational
status of the respondents is illiterate 50% those who do not have both writing and
reading abilities about 19 % of them completed grade 1-4 level through formal
schooling or have joined the former illiteracy campaign and able to read and write
where as 23 % went to religious education and able to read and write. The
remaining 8.6 % joiner formal school and dropped at different levels.

Table: 4.2 Educational levels of sampled participants in formal settlement

Level of education Number percentage

Illiterate 17 50
Religious education 8 23
Grade 1-4 7 19
Grade 5 and above 3 8.6
Total 35 100

Source: Own survey (2014)

 4.1.3 Family size of the respondents
The household size of the total sampled informal settlement participants ranges
from 2 to 12 persons per family.

Table:9 Distribution of in formal respondents by house hold size

House hold size Number percentage

1—3 9 25.71
4-6 14 40
7-9 8 23.0
10-12 4 11.42
Total 35 100

Table; Source own survey (2014)

4.1.4 Income and employment conditions of the sample respondents

43% of the respondents conformed that they get their main income from sales of
labor by participating in different kinds of daily labor activities. The rest 35% and
17 % get their main income from subsistence farming and petty trade respectively.
This indicates the majorities of the respondents is unskilled and participate in
works that do not require skill mostly as daily labor with a minimum wage rate that
can hardly change their life as daily labor with a minimum wage rate that can
hardly change their life unless other measures are taken by the government.
Table; 10 Income distributions of sample respondents

Types of economic earning activities Number percentage

Subsistence agriculture 12 35
Patty trade 6 17.1
 Are & labor 15 43
Other 2 5.7
Total 35 100
Source: own survey (2014)

4.2 Problems that are faced on the settlers

As the researcher studied by observation and through respondents, they are living with
different challenges.

Lack of public facilities- As a respondent explained that there is no chance to have

different public facilities such as hospitals , clinics, school and education centers
transport problems even in the period of accidents they did not get ambulance. Du to
this also many pregnant loses their live during the born their children.

Poor environmental Condition- there is different environmental problems on the study

area. Flood, in addition there societies are used filed open toilet, these conditions lead
their lives with this polluted and harsh environment.

Shortage of electricity, water, toilet-there people had use solar system and some others
used hand light, in the case of water distribution there is no even single tap water and
they bought from distance place bought 0.25 birr per pot. And most people are used
filed open toilet,

Threat eviction – since their houses were built without plan and any arrangement they
did not have space fencing and farm yards due to these they are exposed for different
crime from stealing up to sexual harassment.
 As respondents explained that problems that are lack of public facilities, poor
environmental condition, shortage of electricity, water, toilet and threat eviction. The
researcher shows these problems by table.

Table 2: problems that are faced on the settlers

Problems Number Percentage

Lack of public facilities 10 28.6
Poor environmental condition 3 8.6
Shortage of electricity, water, toilet 7 20
Threat eviction 15 42.8
Total 35 100

Source: Ownsurvrey (2014)

4.1.1 4.3The positive impact of informal settlement on settlers

As a respondent explained that the positive impact of formal settlement in the
study area was 52% housing problem resolved, 25% land acquisition and 13%
has a chance to get land.

Table:3 Positive impact of informal settlement on settlers

Positive impact Number Percentage

Housing problem resolved 20 52
Land acquisition 10 25
Create an opportunity to acquire land 5 13
formally
Total 35 100
Source; own survey (2014)
 4.2Nature of informal settlements in the study area
Even if informal settlements have many meanings in different context but in this
research informal settlement which is out of the plan in general. In the study area
principally there are two types of informal settlements, the owner occupiers and
squatter settlements.
1. Owner occupiers- as the respondent explained through interview those people were
farmers in the former time and now they are leading their life by farming and other
lower level activities. Since they were farmers and still they are farmers.
2. Squatters- as the respondent explained and interview were conducted for different
experts squatters are types of informal settlements which were settle in the open
space by built temporary shelters from loweres standard materials, these squatters
are leading their lives with labor works, these people settle starts from 2002 E.C up
to know .

Questionnaires were administered for 35 respondents in the sample study of yibab kebele.
As the respondents responded that the causes of informal settlements also so many but
contextually and specifically the most serious causes are; the rapid growth of urbanization
in the city, high housing rent. Long term processes to get formal land for housing the cost
of plan for planning house, the cost standard houses, by considering future formal place for
housing, the access of vacant space in the area where identified by the respondents in the
given kebele .

Table: 1 Causes of informal settlement

Cause Number %
Long term process to get formal land 7 20
Growth of urbanization 9 25.7
High rent of house 14 40
Cost of plan 5 14.29
Total 35 100

Source: questionnaires survey (2014)

As table 1 shows that most serious cause for informal settlements is high rent of
house (40%) in the city since these people are too poor. In addition another factors
are less governmental control of open spaces, limited capacity of the code
enforcement services to control illegal constructions of houses, lack comprehensive
and clearly defined legal responses to control emergence and development of
squatters and holding houses are encompasses.

The survey resulted that sales of labor and farming are the main sources of house
hold’s income in the study area.
4.3Another Factors Contributing to the emergence and increase of informal
settlement in the study area

From the data collected from the settlers in the study area the practice of informal
settlement has increase from time to time. there increasing of in formal settlement in
yibab kebele have different reasons, among them, rapid expansion of Bahir Dar city is
the important factor, high housing rents to gather with the financial inability of the
illegal settlers to rent a house in the study area identified by respondents as a major
reason for squatting .

Less government control of open spaces or peripheral areas, limited capacity of the
code enforcement service to control illegal construction of houses, lack of
comprehensive and clearly defined legal response to control the emergence and
development of informal settlement. Even though the information gathered from the
sample households is not sat is factory the following are some of the assumptions
obtained from the city administration.

i. Even though urbanization is good sign for the development of the city but it has
also negative externalities behind. According to the information collected. And
these negative externalities are also happening in Bahir dar city, the city of
Bahir Dar is growing also fast from one year to other, so this rapid urbanization
is creating demand for the access to land for the people of Bahir Dar and people
which found peripheral area of Bahir Dar. This increase of demand for land has
lead to the increase of informal settlement. According to the data collected this
rapid urbanization of Bahir Dar city is one of the reasons for the expansion of
informal settlement in yibab kebele.
 In addition the other reason is also thoughts f in the future that the kebeles which found
on the peripheral area of Bahir Dar will b e included in Bahir Dar city so this creates
motivation for the people founder take informal settlement practice in the study area.

ii. The establishment of institute of land administration and school of law

the yibab campus which is found in yibab kebele has also contribution for the growing of
informal settlement in the study area, As the respondents responded the number of people
who is participating in the informal settlement in yibab kebele increase from time to time
after this campus established also as to start some new business to feature and people from
the downtown are buying land informally from the farmers who have land around the
campus.
4.4Problems that are faced on the settlers

As the researcher studied by observation and through respondents, they are living with
different challenges.

Lack of public facilities- As a respondent explained that there is no chance to have

different public facilities such as hospitals , clinics, school and education centers
transport problems even in the period of accidents they did not get ambulance. Du to
this also many pregnant loses their live during the born their children.

Poor environmental Condition- there is different environmental problems on the study

area. Flood, in addition there societies are used filed open toilet, these conditions lead
their lives with this polluted and harsh environment.

Shortage of electricity, water, toilet-there people had use solar system and some others
used hand light, in the case of water distribution there is no even single tap water and
they bought from distance place bought 0.25 birr per pot. And most people are used
filed open toilet,

Threat eviction – since their houses were built without plan and any arrangement they
did not have space fencing and farm yards due to these they are exposed for different
crime from stealing up to sexual harassment.
 As respondents explained that problems that are lack of public facilities, poor
environmental condition, shortage of electricity, water, toilet and threat eviction. The
researcher shows these problems by table.

Table 2: problems that are faced on the settlers

Problems Number Percentage

Lack of public facilities 10 28.6
Poor environmental condition 3 8.6
Shortage of electricity, water, toilet 7 20
Threat eviction 15 42.8
Total 35 100

Source: Ownsurvrey (2014)

4.4.1 The positive impact of informal settlement on settlers

As a respondent explained that the positive impact of formal settlement in the
study area was 52% housing problem resolved, 25% land acquisition and 13%
has a chance to get land.

Table:3 Positive impact of informal settlement on settlers

Positive impact Number Percentage

Housing problem resolved 20 52
Land acquisition 10 25
 Create an opportunity to acquire land 5 13
formally
Total 35 100
Source; own survey (2014)

4.5The impact of informal settlement for the society and for the government
The researcher organized their impact in to 3 major groups in socially, politically
and economically,
Social impact:- As respondent explained that those people who live in formal
settlement in this study area are obstacle for the development of infrastructures
since their house were built without plan. And people are factors of environmental
pollution and this environmental pollution is not local issue rather it spreads
throughout the whole city, these people are hop less, cause of conflicts and they are
agent for social instability.
Political impact:- there people is difficult to government because they are cause of
conflict and it is difficult to control them since their address not known. They
assume themselves living under consideration they did not accept government
police and strategies. As the respondents explained that there are different
problems as can be seen from the figure below 20% were administrative problem ,
31.4% security problem, 11,4% government policy problem and 37.2% were
enforcement problem. The re fore, from this data we conclude that most
respondents respond on the enforcement problem.

Table 4: impacts of formal settlement on political issues

Problems Number Percentage

Security 11 31.4
Administrative problem 7 20
Government policy & strategies 4 11.4
Enforcement problem 13 37.2
Total 35 100

Source Questionnaires survey (2014)

Economical impact – as respondent explained that these people occupied by

themselves different use full agricultural and investment lands, in this case
investment has retard and success full agriculture lands were lost and total
economy of the society and government decrease. In addition when the government
wanted to remove them to prepare the place for investment government lost
money for demolishing and for compensation of they are farmers, finally their effect
is that they are not supposed to pay tax even they are the owner of the land. Also
government did no collect tax from them.
Due to these the above listed problems sustainable development is unexpected,
from this the researcher shows this problems using table.

Table 5: Economical impact of informal settlement for the government

Problems Number Percentage

Payment of compensation 5 14.28
 Cost of demolishing 7 20
Reduction of government income 15 42.85
Affect investment attraction 8 22.85
Total 35 100

Source own survey (2014)

4.6Nature and Land acquisition

As respondents explained in the study area the land acquisition system were so
different, most of the respondents got their land by informal land market through
buying from the neighbors farmers and some others are got their land from their
family and rest others are by occupying the open space themselves,

Table: 6 means of land acquisition

Means of land acquisition Number of respondents %

Buying from neighbor farmers 20 57.10
 From family 12 31.5
By squatting themselves 3 11.30
Total 35 100

Source: Questionnaires survey (2014)

4.7Age structure of the respondents
Age of respondents’ plays an important role in the house hold is decision making on
informal settlement.
As can be seen from the figure below 45% were founded in the age category of 20
and 40 years and 50 % in the age category of 41-54 years while remaining 5 %
were above 54 years. The minimum and the maximum age of the respondents are
20 and 54 respectively. Therefore, from this data we conclude that the large share
of sample respondent’s fall in the category of (41-54) .

Table 7 Distribution of sample respondents (in formal settlers) by age category

Age group (yr) Number Percentage

20-40 15 43
45-54 14 40
544 and above 6 17
Total 35 100

Source: own survey (2014)

4.7.1 Educational status of the respondents
Education is important because of livelihood of the people largely depends upon
knowledge and information, the result of the survey shows that the educational
status of the respondents is illiterate 50% those who do not have both writing and
reading abilities about 19 % of them completed grade 1-4 level through formal
schooling or have joined the former illiteracy campaign and able to read and write
where as 23 % went to religious education and able to read and write. The
remaining 8.6 % joiner formal school and dropped at different levels.
Table; 8 Educational l evels of sampled participants in formal settlement

Level of education Number percentage

Illiterate 17 50
Religious education 8 23
Grade 1-4 7 19
Grade 5 and above 3 8.6
Total 35 100

Source: Own survey (2014)

4.7.2 Family size of the respondents

The household size of the total sampled informal settlement participants ranges
from 2 to 12 persons per family.
 Table; 9 Distribution of in formal respondents by house hold size

House hold size Number percentage

1—3 9 25.71
4-6 14 40
7-9 8 23.0
10-12 4 11.42
Total 35 100

Source own survey (2014)

4.7.4 Income and employment conditions of the sample respondents
43% of the respondents conformed that they get their main income from sales of
labor by participating in different kinds of daily labor activities. The rest 35% and
17 % get their main income from subsistence farming and petty trade respectively.
This indicates the majorities of the respondents is unskilled and participate in
works that do not require skill mostly as daily labor with a minimum wage rate that
can hardly change their life as daily labor with a minimum wage rate that can
hardly change their life unless other measures are taken by the government.
Table; 10 Income distributions of sample respondents

Types of economic earning activities Number percentage

Subsistence agriculture 12 35
Patty trade 6 17.1
Are & labor 15 43
Other 2 5.7
Total 35 100
Source: own survey (2014)

4.8 Government measures to retard informal settlements

 4.8.1 Preventation approach

This is the primary measures of government for informal settlements, in this case informal
holdings are removed at the beging and bring the illegal settlers in to the court and give
some advice even though the court gives warning for the settler before built house the
informal settlers doesn’t stop. So in order to prevent these people the Bahir dar
municipality takes the task by different preventing committees , here there are
identification committees which identify the informal holding places, these committee are
called ‘’ committees of technique’’ (ANRS, directive No- 37/200).

These committee are formed from different offices, these offices are municipality, kebele
administration, police office, justice office, woreda admnistratation and from BOEPLAUA.

4.8.2 The government measures

After the decision of the city administration decision was decided and informed for the
settlers to demolish their house by themselves, if the settlers are not volunteer to
demolishing their House, the committee were formed, there is not compensation for
demolishing informal houses except those farmers who has house in the former time.

4.8.3 Consequences of in formal settlement on evicted persons

The settlers might be faced with different social and economical problems such as lack of
psychological problem, housing and others service problems.