KENYA: Africa’s Largest Slum Residents move to ‘Promised Land’

NAIROBI, September 18, 2009 –In an effort to liberate poor Kenyans living in slums from poverty, the Government of Kenya in conjunction with UN Habitat are working to eradicate slums under the pilot project, Kenya Slum Upgrading Project (KENSUP) inaugurated by President Mwai KibakiMwai Kibaki in October 2004.

What began as a temporary settlement for Nubian solders in the First World War will soon become history as the Kenyan government moves towards a slum free nation to help eradicate poverty by 2015.

The first group to relocate was residents from Soweto East, Kibera’s twelve slums after the Prime Minister Raila OdingaRaila Odinga unveiled the upgrading programme at the complex located in Southern Nairobi.

The residents were ecstatic to move from their makeshift shanties to the new complex which comprises of 600 three bedroom units which will be shared among three families. They are fitted with a separate toilet, bathroom and a kitchen.

The beneficiaries will pay a monthly rent of Kshs 500, Kshs 200 for water and Kshs 300 for electricity.

Kefa Ojuka was happy to bid goodbye to the ghetto which has no sewage system, social services and infrastructure. Ojuka says his first night there he had overslept because of the serene environment and warmth of his new house.

“Mimi nimefurahi sana. Tumelala vizuri na tumeamuka vizuri (I am very happy. We slept well and woke up well) in the ‘promised land,’ he says.

“The air here is fresh and the environment clean,” says Elisha Kasera.

Kasera moved to Block K house 23. He occupies three rooms with his big family. He says that to avoid conflicts in sharing the houses people with families should be separated from singles.

He hopes that the government will speed up the upgrading process so that everyone in the slum can move into the new houses.

Daniel Keah was happy to be among the first beneficiary but expressed fear of insecurity and he is also worried about the distance his children will cover to get to school. He says his children will walk one and half hours to get to school from the new complex.

Keah was also disappointed because there is no running water and electricity in the houses yet but the contractors assured that there is going to be water and electricity in the next three days.

David Rugaye who has lived in Kibera since 2000 told CISA that the government was doing a good job and that he is anxiously waiting for his turn to relocate.

However, Rugaye’s expressed his fears that most jua kali people (informal employment) and landlords in Kibera will loose their livelihood since all the temporary structures will be brought down to pave way for more new houses.

“Watu wakikosa kazi watakuwa wezi” (When people loose their business here they will become thieves), he says.

Rugaye says the government should consider these two parties so that everyone can benefit.

Lilian Muturi a shopkeeper in the slum says, “I am not willing to move as I will loose my means of livelihood.”

31 year old Mustafa Athman is a Nubian and has lived in Kibera all his life. The slum is his ancestral land. Athman who runs mpesa (mobile money transfer) business says, “Personally I feel the upgrade is a good start but the government should consider everyone’s needs. Most of us Nubians are landlords and have lived here all our lives and according to the Kenyan law if one occupies land for more than 12 years they are entitled to it.”

Athman’s fears are loosing the only source of income he has.

Juliet Mutheu a non resident of Kibera questions whether the government will continue to sustain the houses five years from now. “Will the structures be habitable in five years from now?” Mutheu feels that the government should have put up village cities and encouraged people to adopt farming methods to earn a living.

It cost more than KShs 500 million to build the new houses according to the housing minister Soita Shitanda. Shitanda said they are seeking more funds to roll out similar projects in other slums at Mathare in Nairobi and Kisumu in the Rift Valley province.

The first beneficiaries are expected to fully occupy the 17 blocks by the end of this week.