Over 3,000 persons left homeless after their houses burnt

Residents of Mathare Kosovo slum in the last minute rush to salvage properties after fire gutted the area on the night of Christmas eve. [David Njaaga,Standard]

The pungent smell of burned plastic assaults one’s nostrils on arriving at Kosovo slums in Mathare, where about 500 houses were gutted by fire on the night before Christmas. Several faces look in all directions, as victims try to come to terms with the reality of being rendered homeless.

Over 3,000 persons were forced to spend their Christmas in the cold and the situation had not changed a few days later.