Kibera Africa Africa’s Largest Slum

Kibera, Kenya Africa’s 2 nd largest slum (Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa) 3 rd largest slum in the world (Dharavi, Mumbai India) Kibra  forest/jungle in Nubian

Kibera - History Est  British Kibera Kibera Settlement in forests outside Nairobi Nubian soldiers returning from WWI were awarded plots there  for war efforts

Kibera - History Kenya independence of 1963 housing in Kibera considered illegal by gov’t (no tenure) by 1970s landlords renting out properties to greater numbers than the law permitted

Kibera - History Kibera was affordable despite being illegal Since mid 1970’s control of Kibera in the hand of the Kikuyu (majority of population – 23%)

Kibera - Geography located in SW of Nairobi 5 km from city centre To the south Nairobi River & Nairobi Dam Kibera is divided into 13 villages

Kibera - Geography Area – 2.5km 2 (3/4 of the size of Central Park in NY) Population 1 million (estimates have been as low as 170,000) – most recent estimate 235,000

Kibera - Geography No building over 1 storey and avg. house size 3m by 3m Avg. 5 people per dwelling Water & sewage minimal (1 pit latrine for people

Kibera – Physical Challenges intense overcrowding and In Soweto East—the focus of the Kibera 70,000 residents live on 52.8 acres. 2,880 structures in Soweto East are served 100 toilets, 50 baths, and no vehicular infrastructure

Kibera - Challenges

Kibera – Physical Challenges congested living conditions profoundly increase health risks and  quality of life for residents. infectious and skin diseases spread easily and food contamination is common

Kibera – Physical Challenges burn wood, charcoal and kerosene indoors for cooking and lighting, which contributes to a high incidence of upper respiratory infection and irritation Children play in roads and dump areas for lack of adequate open spaces

Kibera – Environmental Challenges limited from expanding to the south and east by the Ngong River and Nairobi Dam, and to the north and west by the rail line to Kisumu terrain is hilly and sometimes steep  complicates the building process

Kibera – Environmental Challenges Residential & commercial dumping of solid waste, human waste, medical waste, and wastewater cause perpetual degradation of the environment and water quality

Kibera – Environmental Challenges Some pit latrines are located inappropriately close to water sources, causing black water to seep into these sources, while inadequately maintained latrines negatively affect the general environment and community health.

Kibera – Environmental Challenges

Kibera – Economic Challenges ~3/4 of Kibera’s households earn less than Kenya 10,000 shillings per month (with avg. 5 people per household)  $1 per day Housing affordability major challenge to upgrade or redevelop

Kibera – Economic Challenges fees for water, sanitation,, electricity or rubbish collection may further burden households. Taxation on regularized or legally recognized land or shelter increases financial obligations

Kibera – Upgrading one of the most studied slums in Africa i)it sits in the centre of the modern city ii)UN-HABITAT (UN agency for human settlement has headquarters near by

Kibera – Upgrading is undergoing an intensive slum upgrading UN-HABITAT, government and NGOs – Maji na Ufanisi (water and environmental sanitation) Improve housing and sanitary conditions

Kibera – Complications ii) lack of building foundations - ground in much of Kibera- composed of refuse and rubbish Dwellings are often constructed atop unstable ground - structures collapse whenever the slum experiences flooding even well-constructed buildings often damaged by the collapse of nearby poorly constructed ones

Kibera – Complications iii) Topography and cramped sprawl of the area Few houses have roads and many are at the bottoms of steep inclines – construction made more difficult and costly - all materials must be brought in by hand.

Kibera – Complications On Sept. 16 th, Kenyan government began a long-term resettlement scheme which will rehouse the people who live in slums in Nairobi The clearance of Kibera is expected to take between 2-5 years

Kibera – Complications entire project expected to take nine years - will rehouse all the slum residents in the city cost $1.2 billion new communities - planned to include schools, markets, playgrounds and other facilities

Kibera – Complications 1,500 people resettled on 16 September rehoused in 300 newly constructed apartments with a monthly rent of around $10

Kibera – Complications legally challenged by more than 80 people Kenyan High Court has stated that the government cannot begin demolition works until the case is heard in October but will be able to demolish the homes of people who leave voluntarily before then.

Kibera – Complications Plaintiffs mixture of middle-class landlords and Kibera residents - claim land in Kibera is theirs government has no right to demolish the shacks Nubian community disappointed with the scheme, and one elder has said that the present housing should be improved instead.

Kibera – Complications Urban planners criticisms - risks repeating the mistakes of previous schemes poor families either shared two- room apartments with one or two other families to pay the rent sublet them to middle-class families and moved back into the slums

Kibera – Complications There is also controversy over the timing of the project, with the first phase, rehousing 7,500 people, being delayed by five years and one government official stating that if the project continues at the current pace it will take 1,178 years to complete