Sh14.7 billion slums upgrading plan underway

By Mutinda Mwanzia

The City Council of Nairobi in conjunction with the World Bank plans to upgrade all informal settlements in the city at a cost of Sh14.7 billion in the wake of increased fire outbreaks in the slums.

The initiative, which is being spearheaded by the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Programme (KISIP), comes following the Sinai slum fire tragedy, which claimed at least 100 lives. Several other slums in the city have in the past been destroyed by fire leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.

On Friday, KISIP coordinator Rose Muema who is also the Deputy Director, City Planning said the project aimed at improving living conditions in slums.

"All slums do not have proper access roads and when any fire breaks out it becomes difficult to rescue those trapped," said Muema.

She said the project will minimise involuntary displacement of slum dwellers adding that those displaced will be compensated. The government has already said that families living on land unsuitable for human habitation will be relocated and compensated.

"These include slums on pipeline land, power and rail way leaves and water catchment areas," said Muema.

She said in slum areas of Kibera, residents live in mud-walled, iron-roofed structures dangerously close to railway lines that carry fuel and dangerous chemicals while in Mathare, the second biggest slum, people live on steep slopes prone to mudslides.

In Mukuru, the third largest slum in the city, shacks have sprung up under high voltage electricity lines.

Speaking to The Standard at City Hall after a meeting called to deliberate on the project, Muema said 15 Municipal Councils will also benefit from the slum upgrading programme. Among the councils include Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Embu, Kakamega, Garissa, Nyeri, Kericho and Eldoret.

Others are Naivasha, Machakos, Thika, Kiambu and Malindi.

Muema said the upgrading programme will enhance security of tenure among dwellers especially in areas where the land is owned by the government.

"The dwellers will be issued with a communal title deed for the land to ensure that no individual lays claim to it," said Muema.

She said the project in Nairobi will cover all slum areas adding that funds were already available.

"The council has already started working with the slum dwellers to identify their priorities and make the project a success," said Muema.

She said the slums targeted are in Kamukunji, Kibera, Makadara, Kasarani and Embakasi constituencies.