Kibera AfricaAfrica’s Largest Slum

Kibera, Kenya• Africa’s 2nd largest slum (Soweto

in Johannesburg, South Africa)• 3rd largest slum in the world

(Dharavi, Mumbai India)• Kibra forest/jungle in Nubian

Kibera - History• Est. 1918 British 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 – 2.5km2 (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 50-500 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 – Upgradingone of the most studied slums in Africai) it sits in the centre of the modern

cityii) 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 – Complicationsii) 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 – Complicationsiii) 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. 16th, 2009 - 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 2009 - 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