128 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division Inventory | 129 At some point during President Kenyatta’s reign, he visited the settlement and assured the resi- dents that they would not be evicted from the site. They have however suffered several eviction attempts from NCC and Catholic Church Proj- ect, the latest being in 2002, and have 4 unde- termined court cases relating to land ownership claims.

The land area is estimated to be 200 acres, be- longing to the Government of under the NCC. Initially a quarry site, part of this land has been claimed by the Catholic Church and some wealthy individuals for development.

130 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Electricity supply is limited to street security lights provided by the NCC. • Both external and internal access roads are in The resident population is estimated at slightly place. over 20 000 people, 60% of whom are adults. • Waste disposal system is poor and strewn solid wastes litter the settlement. • Post Office is the nearest public com- munication facility.

The structures, numbering about 5000, are • Children attend Mathare 4A Primary School mainly made of iron sheets but stone and but congestion in classrooms remains a chal- brick houses are also coming up. Most struc- lenge to the learning process. tures have about 3 rooms measuring 10 by 10 • Mathare Hospital and Catholic dispensary pro- sq feet, mainly residential, and tenants pay be- vide out-patient healthcare services for common tween 800 and 1500 depending on the state of ailments, i.e. malaria, typhoid TB, and HIV-relat- the room. The majority of the structure own- ed opportunistic infections. ers and their families reside within the settle- ment.

Most residents are employed or self-employed in the Jua Kali sector as casual and semi-skilled labourers and in trade in household consum- ables. • There are numerous piped water supply points mainly owned by the landlords within their plots and sell at 2 shillings for a 20-litre container

• Sewer system is in place and well maintained Security concerns are handled by the chief and by the residents the elders. • There are several private and communal toi- No CBOs/NGOs support development initiatives lets, but not adequate given the high population in the settlement except for the Catholic Church. density in the settlement. The settlement has not benefited from govern- • Open drainage channels maintained by the res- ment’s devolved funds. idents are in place, though parts of the settle- ment is still prone to floods

Nairobi Inventory | 131 The first residents settled here in 1964 and were mainly workers in the European coffee farms. The land area, measuring 80 acres, belonged to a European settler, passed on to an Indian, a land-buying society and private ownership by one Kang’ethe. No eviction threats have been received to date.

The resident population is estimated at about 6000 occupying 270 structures with about 60% of the population being children.

132 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Private schools – Rich Academy, Esther Me- morial Academy, are also accessible but the fee of Kshs.3000 per term is beyond the reach of most residents. There are 270 structures, some with up to 15 • There are no youth vocational training institu- 10 by 10 ft rooms, while some structure own- tions nearby ers have permanent houses. More than half the resident population are tenants paying between • Residents rely on private health clinics for out- Kshs. 600 and 1500 as monthly rent depending patient services, as there are no public health on the condition of the house and construction facilities nearby. materials used. Common building materials are iron sheets, timber and mud.

The majority of the residents rely on intermit- tent opportunities for casual labour and small- scale trade, with incomes ranging from Kshs. 150 to 200 per day • Piped water supply from Nairobi Water Com- pany is connected to every residential plot, man- aged by structure owners and sold at 2/- per

20-litre container. • Structure owners constitute the settlement • Latrines are constructed by structure owners committee and liaise with Provincial Administra- per plot and are in good working condition. tion office on security and community policing • Drainage is good as the ground is undulating arrangements. and not subject to flooding. • Self-help groups have been initiated but work • Solid waste disposal is mainly by burning. at the settlement level with no linkages to NGO, and have expressed willingness to join the Mu- • Electricity supply is available provided by KPLC ungano saving scheme. and cost factored into the rent payment for con- nected rooms. • No CDF projects have been initiated in the settlement but they have benefited from local • The Jathaini all-weather road provides access government activities. to the settlement. • Children attend Jathaini Primary School under the free education program but learning facili- ties are reported to be overstretched by the high enrolment levels. The school has room for ex- pansion which the residents want developed.

Nairobi Inventory | 133 The settlers were mainly farm workers seeking employment in the tea farms nearby. The last eviction threat received was in 1998 by one Mr. Kathara believed to be a land-grabber.

The resident population is estimated at about 3500 people occupying about 600 households

There are about 400 structures mostly built of mud, timber, iron sheets and a few stone houses with an average of three rooms each. The structure-owner/tenant ratio is 3:1 and rental rates range between Kshs. 400 and 600 per month.

134 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water supply by the Nairobi Water Com- pany is available at 5 standpoints managed by meter owners and project officials working un- der a World Vision program. Water is sold at 2/- per 20-litre container. • Pit latrines constructed by structure owners per plot. • Drainage system poor, pools of domestic wastewater and poor garbage disposal typifies the squalid environment highly prone to flood- ing, malaria, respiratory and water-borne dis- eases. • Access is by loose all-weather roads but within the settlement motorized transport is impos- sible, especially during rainy periods. • Children attend Mururui Primary School under the free primary education program, as private academies nearby charging between Kshs. 4500 and 6000 are beyond the reach of most resi- dents.

• There are no vocational training facilities near- Village elders constitute the settlement commit- by. tee responsible for governance and security con- cerns linking the residents with the provincial • Private clinics offer out-patient healthcare ser- administration. vices, with Roysambu Health Centre being the nearest public health facility. Resource mobilization for self-help initiatives are undertaken through Self Help Group Sav- • Most residents work as casual labourers earn- ings, some supported by World Vision on water ing between Kshs. 100 and 250, while some en- and sanitation and OVC sponsorship programs. gage in small-scale commercial activities. The residents have not benefited from devolved government funds.

Nairobi Inventory | 135 The residents got relocated here from in 1993 by the Minister for Local Government, having been displaced to give room for road construction. The land area measures about 10 acres and the residents have occasionally been threatened with eviction by unspecified people who claim ownership.

The settlement population is estimated at about 4000 people in slightly more than 300 house- holds, with children outnumbering adults in the ratio of 5:1

There are about 110 structures in the settle- ment, with over 300 residential rooms occu- pied by mainly structure owners. Most struc- tures are made of stones cheaply gotten from the local quarry sites, while some are built us- ing mud and iron sheets. Tenants are few and pay between Kshs 200 and 500 for 10 by 10 sq. ft rooms.

136 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division Most residents work as casual labourers while engaging in market-oriented small-scale com- • Piped water supply is connected free but at merce and farming. Average incomes per day’s times residents buy from the neighboring Mwiki work range from Kshs. 100 to 250. Estate at 2/- per jerry-can. • There are 40 pit latrines constructed and main- tained by structure owners but these are inade- quate due to the large population to be served. A committee of elders oversees governance is- • The sloping ground is naturally well drained sues within the settlement and has good working while waste disposal is directed to the river and relations with the local Provincial Administra- nearby bushes. tion, by whose intervention Sunton Police Post was built with CDF support to boost security in • One person is connected to metered power sup- the area. ply line but other residents have underground connections payable to the meter owner. Self-help interest groups offer opportunities for savings and pooling of resources for income • Kasarani KBL Post office serves the residents’ generation but have not linked with any develop- communication needs. ment support agencies. • Mwiki Muram road connects the settlement to The residents have petitioned the local authority the main tarmac road. and CDF committees for support in developing • The land has not yet been surveyed and no health and education facilities in the area. space has been reserved for social use. • Mwerema primary school, located 5kms from the settlement, is the only public school offering free primary education but highly congested. Some parents resort to private schools in nearby Mwiki Estate charging between Kshs 3000 and 4500 per term. Cases of school drop-out are common due to the distance to public schools. • There are no vocational training institutions nearby • Healthcare facilities are mainly private, offer- ing out-patient services within Mwiki and Dan- dora Estates, while Mkunga Health centre offer maternity services.

Nairobi Inventory | 137 The land area, estimated to be 10 acres, is be- lieved to be government land and no eviction threats have been received to date.

The resident population is estimated at slightly over 2500 in about 1000 households with adult- child ratio of 1:2

There are about 1000 structures, with 960 be- ing for residential use. Buildings are mainly of mud and iron sheets with a few stone houses occupied by the structure owners with very few tenants, paying between 350 and 800 Kshs. per month for a 10 by 12 sq. ft room.

138 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water is available at 2 privately owned standpoints and sold to the residents at 2/- per 20-litre container. • The Nairobi Water Company sewer line passes nearby but is not connected to the settlement. About 50 latrines constructed by the structure owners serve the residents. • The sloping ground is naturally well drained, while waste disposal is directed to the river and nearby bushes. • Electricity supply is available but only a few residents have been connected by the KPLC • Mwiki road links the settlement to the main tarmac road, but within the settlement, the paths are narrow and not amenable to motor- ized transport. • There are no resource centres nearby, but Sunton Post office serves their communication needs Most residents engage in market gardening, • The settlement is not planned and has no open small-scale business and casual labour, with in- social spaces for development comes ranging from Kshs. 150 to 250 per day’s work. • The area is served by one public school 5kms away from the settlement with 60-70 pupils per class with no opportunities for expansion. Private schools absorb a few of the pupils, but most parents cannot afford the fee. Internal administration is by a committee of • There are no vocational training centres near- village elders that link with Provincial Adminis- by tration on security concerns. Neither devolved government funds nor NGO support have ben- • Healthcare facilities are mainly private, offer- efited the residents. Few self-help groups are ing out-patient services within Mwiki and Dan- operational as a basis for pooling resources for dora Estates, while Mkunga Health centre offers development support. maternity services.

Nairobi Inventory | 139 The land measuring 0.0462 of an acre is pri- vately owned and currently subject to a family dispute in court.

The resident population is about 170 people with an occupancy rate of about 5 people per household. Children constitute 60% of the pop- ulation.

There are 16 structures owned by one person (deceased), with a total of 34 residential rooms primarily made of wood, iron sheets and mud. Rent is paid to an agent and ranges from Kshs. 900 to 1000 depending on the size and condi- tion of the house.

140 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water is available at one standpoint, cost factored into the rent payment and maintained by the landlord’s agent. • There are 4 dilapidated filled up toilets with no roofs and though still in use, pose real dangers to the users. • Electricity got disconnected upon the demise of the landlord. • Githorai Post Office serves the residents • The Githorai Road connects the settlement to the Thika Road. • Drainage is good and solid wastes are dumped at a common site and burnt, though some are thrown on the railway line. • Githorai Primary School offers free primary education, though classes are congested and children that miss admission are forced to join private schools in the neighborhood that charge between Kshs. 3000 and 4500 per term. There Residents primarily work as casual labourers, is room for expansion in Githorai and residents while some engage in small-scale business, with are appealing for support. daily earnings ranging between Kshs. 100 and 200. • There are no vocational training facilities near- by. • Healthcare services are offered at Githorai Health Centre with maternity and outpatient services. The residents have free access to the area chief’s office and have good working relations, especial- ly on security concerns. They are members of Mweireri Self Help Group who have expressed interest in joining Muungano Savings Scheme.

Nairobi Inventory | 141 In 1995 President Moi authorized the release of allotment certificates for Phase 1 (typified by permanent structures) and Phase 2 in 2002. The land, measuring about 1040 acres and sub- divided into about 2500 plots, was part of the larger parcel privately owned by the Kenyatta family and a section of which was donated to for expansion in 1976. In August 2007, the University issued eviction threats and fenced in three quarters of the settlement claimed to be part of the university land, and plan to dig a perimeter trench to hive out the contested section with risk of demolish- ing some structures. The residents are currently working with the local Provincial Administration to resolve the dispute.

The resident population is estimated at about 8000 with children making up 60% of the total with an average of 4 people per household.

There are about 2500 structures with 4500 residential 12 by 10 sq. ft. rooms mainly oc- cupied by structure owners and their rela- tives. Common building materials are stones, mud, timber and iron sheets. Rental rates for the less than 1000 tenants range from 500 to 1500 Kshs depending on the room size and the building materials used. Other 1500 rooms are under commercial/institutional use.

142 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water supply is connected to most of the plots and sold at 2/- per 20-litre container. • Each plot has its own latrine • No sewerage system has been developed, open drainage channels are poorly maintained, swampy conditions and floods are common in parts of the settlement. • Electricity is supplied by KPLC to some resi- dents but plans are underway for more connec- tions. • Access by road into the larger section of the settlement is currently threatened by the intend- The majority of the residents are casual labour- ed perimeter trench to be dug by the university. ers, with about 30% of the adult population self- employed in small business enterprises and 2% • Garbage disposal is subcontracted to groups in formal employment. Income levels range from at a fee, while some households opt for open Kshs. 100 to 500 per day. dumping sites. • The designated grounds for playing field, church and nursery school are yet to be devel- oped. The local Provincial Administration office recog- • Kiwanja, Kamiti, , Mainga and Kenyatta nizes the settlement committee and has good primary schools are accessible to children from working relations, especially in handling the the settlement, though residents report conges- eviction issues. The residents have benefited tion and pressure on the facilities. Kamiti and from the CDF sponsored water project but have Kenyatta secondary schools offer opportunities no CBOs/NGOs working in the area. for secondary education for day scholars from the area. • Residents rely on Kamiti Health Centre for out- patient services.

Nairobi Inventory | 143 The first 7 residents used the place as a hideout during the struggle for independence in 1963. The KPLC claim ownership of the land area measuring about 3 acres, and filed case in court in 2002 yet to be determined, while ministry of Roads and Public Works in 2006 threatened to demolish a section of the settlement extending to the road reserve.

The resident population is estimated at about 800 people, 40% of whom are children, in about 290 households.

There are about 206 structures with about 260 rooms measuring 10 by 10 sq. ft. and built of timber, iron sheets and mud. Structure owner/ tenant ratio stands at 2:3 with tenants paying Kshs. 800 rent per room. A few structure own- ers reside in the neighboring Umoja and Zim- merman estates.

144 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water supply is available at 2 stand- points, most of the time crowded given the pop- ulation to be served. The water is sold at 1/- per 20-litre jerry-can. • There are 12 pit latrines built and maintained by the structure owners, but they frequently fill up. • Drainage is good, with open channels aided by the sloping gradient to release waste water down the slope. • There is no electricity connection to the settle- ment, though the power line passes nearby. • Gomongo Post Office serves the communica- tion needs of the residents. • The area is served by Thika Road but inside the settlement, narrow pathways are not amenable to motorized transport with high risks of inac- cessibility in case of fire outbreaks. • Waste disposal is by burning as there is no open dumping site. Most residents are engaged in informal Jua Kali and small-scale business enterprises. Unem- • No social spaces to be developed. ployment levels are high and daily incomes as • Children attend Roysambu and Kasarani pri- low as 50 shillings and mostly irregular. mary schools that are reportedly congested but have room for expansion. Few cases of school drop-out are reported.

• Vocational training centres are far away and be- Village elders see to the internal administrative yond reach of the residents in terms of costs. concerns and link with the local Provincial Ad- • Kasarani Health Centre offers maternity and ministration on security concerns. There are 2 out-patient healthcare services for common ail- registered CBOs but no NGOs. ments.

Nairobi Inventory | 145 It occupies a 2.5 acres land area believed to be government land first settled in 1978 by an em- ployee of the City Council and later joined by landless traders from the nearby trading cen- tres. The residents have not been able to develop the settlement due to frequent eviction threats from the chief’s office claiming the village is on the road reserve to the D.O’s.

The settlement population stands at about 600 people, with 1/3 being children.

There are about 80 structures built of timber and iron sheets and 200 rooms measuring 10 by 10 sq. ft. The majority of the inhabitants are the structure owners and their relatives, with very few tenants paying between Kshs. 700 and 800 as rent.

146 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division Most residents work as casual labourers, while some run small-scale businesses with incomes • Piped water supply is available at 2 standpoints ranging between Kshs. 300 and 400 per day. and sold at 3/- per 20-litrr container. • There are only 15 pit latrines in the village con- structed and maintained by the structure own- ers Village elders and security committees are func- • Drainage is poor, and stagnant pools of waste tional, while three community-based groups water and floods add to the squalid discomfort- have mainly worked on water and sanitation and ing living conditions in the settlement. welfare concerns within the village. They howev- er have not benefited from the devolved govern- • Accessibility by Mwiki Road is good and one ment funds. loose-surface road passes through the village. • There is a public garbage dumping site near- by. • Kasarani Primary School offer learning oppor- tunities for children, but residents report that there is pressure on the facilities and propose upgrading to accommodate a 2nd stream of classes.

• Vocational training facilities lacking in the neighborhood. • Kasarani Health centre offers out-patient ser- vices for common ailments.

Nairobi Inventory | 147 The residents are victims of multiple evictions and displacements, having come from Soko Ya Mawe to Kwa Muchiri in 1975, Mafik in 1979 and finally Light Industries in 1980, where they are still faced with eviction threats. Nearly two thirds of the original 3 acres settlement has been grabbed in the last two years, forcing the affected to seek refuge elsewhere. The land be- longs to the and was in- tended for use as parking space but is currently targeted by land grabbers linked to NCC that have issued eviction threats thrice within 2007. The residents live in fear of fire outbreaks insti- gated by the land grabbers.

The settlement is densely populated with an estimated 800 people squeezed in 270 house- holds within an acre of land. About 60% of the population are children of school-going age.

There are 269 residential structures built of timber and recycled iron sheets that give evidence of previous eviction fires. The 8 by 10 sq. ft single-roomed structures are mostly owner-occupied but some less than 50 tenants are housed by structure owners with more than one room at Kshs. 500 per month.

148 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division Most of the youth are either employed or offer casual labour in the Jua Kali/Light Industries, • There is piped water at one point selling 20- while women engage in roadside trade in con- litre containers at 4/- sumables or work as day-time house-helps. Income levels range from Kshs. 50 to 250 but • There are 4 dilapidated private pit latrines and are quite irregular. Unemployment is cited as a one for public use managed by the settlement’s common problem and a cause of high rates of youth group and charged at 5/- per use. Most crime in the area. residents resort to flying toilets, especially in the night. • Drainage is poor and the area is prone to flood- ing. A Village Elders committee works with the • Children attend North and Marura Youth Security Team on community policing Primary schools under the free primary educa- and protects the settlement from invasion by tion program and 5 private primary schools with- land-grabbers. They have not benefited from in Light Industries are preferred for nursery and the devolved government funds. The Muungano lower primary classes for those that can afford Savings Scheme earlier started collapsed when it. Congestion in the public schools is reported key officials got displaced through evictions, but and residents believe they need to be expanded the residents expressed interest in reviving the to accommodate more pupils. scheme. • The youth vocational training is commonly through apprenticeship in the local light/Jua Kali industries. • Healthcare services are provided by the Catho- lic Church centre and Kariobangi Health Centre.

Nairobi Inventory | 149 The land served as a quarry for Nordins Con- struction Company, and was later turned into a dumping site. When the company closed down, the low-income workers settled here in 1980 un- able to meet rental costs elsewhere. The land area measuring about 10 acres be- longs to the government of Kenya but the resi- dents have been receiving eviction threats from Friends and Deliverance Churches claiming to have acquired the same. The last threat chan- neled through the chief’s office was in 2003.

The estimated resident population is about 5000, with children slightly outnumbering the adult population.

There are about 600 structures with an aver- age of three 10 by 10 sq. ft. residential rooms. Common construction materials used are iron sheets and mud and rental rates range be- tween Kshs. 600 and 1000. More than 80% of the residents are tenants.

150 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Piped water supply is available at 6 points managed by the plot owners and sold at 2/- per 20-litre container. • The residents use latrines in the neighbouring village during the day at a cost of 5/- per use and “flying toilets” are commonly used. There is a sewer line and toilets under construction funded by CDF. • Drainage is poor, with narrow open surface run- off channels regularly blocked by solid wastes. Pools of filthy domestic waste water are a com- mon sight in the squalid environment, which is also prone to the discomfort caused by floods during rainy season. Most residents work as casual labourers at con- struction and Jua Kali sites, while women main- • Garbage is haphazardly strewn within the set- ly engage in trade in household consumables. tlement with no dumping site. Daily incomes range from Kshs 100 to 200, but • Electricity supply is not available, as the power cases of unemployment are common. line passes quite some distance from the vil- lage.

• External access is by the 29/30 road, but within the settlement, only narrow footpaths ex- The Chief’s office is within the settlement and ist as structures are built close by, posing real quite accessible to the residents. The residents, risk in case of fires. through the Chief’s office, have attracted CDF funding for the construction of toilets in the set- • There is one church and no playground or oth- tlement. There are no CBOs/NGOs working with er social use. the community on development concerns. • The Deliverance Church provides ECD ser- vices, while pupils attending Mathare North Pri- mary school and spend 20/- daily on transport. The school faces congestion in classrooms occa- sioned by the scramble for learning opportuni- ties under the free primary education program. • Mathare Hospital offers maternity and in/ out-patient healthcare services. Residents cite malaria and waterborne diseases as the most prevalent.

Nairobi Inventory | 151 Opposite the Homeland Hotel, this village initially housed casual employees of Kenya Brewer- ies. The residents fearing threats of eviction from the road reserve, sold off their “plots” for between 20 000 and 50 000 shillings to dealers in imported used cars and migrated variously to other settlements.

The land belonged to a European nicknamed Baba Dogo, but was sold off to the residents who mobilized funds through their Baba Dogo Society and are currently constructing decent houses for themselves. The village is no longer a slum settlement.

The village is situated between Laundry village and Thika Road next to Nairobi River and opposite Kenya Breweries Factory. The land belonged to a European famously nicknamed Baba Dogo who sold the land to one Mr. Gathecha, who eventually sold it off to the residents under the Ruaraka Squatters Society. It has now been surveyed and subdivided into serviced privately developed plots, no longer falling within the description of slum settlement.

152 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division The residents were workers at Clay Works Ltd. They bought the land through the Clay Workers Association and managed to absorb buyers from outside to buy from those who could not afford to construct houses. They subdivided the plots of 60 by 70 ft based on the shares as contributed by the members. The residents are no longer in need of assistance.

The slum settlement has been absorbed by small-scale business and Jua Kali activities at this stage, forcing the residents to migrate to Mathare North and other settlements

The settlement occupies about 30 acres of land in Kasarani Location and residents trace its origins to 1963 when President Kenyatta consented to their appeal for the land. The residents claim to have acquired Title Deeds and are unwilling to divulge further information.

Nairobi Inventory | 153 The area of Soweto Kahawa was owned by a white farmer who later decided to sell the land. This paved the way for the Soweto Kahawa set- tlement committee to organise themselves and begin negotiations to buy the land.

Upon interviewing the original settlers, the pas- sionate regret is in the loss of space to prac- tice subsistence mixed farming. The allocations have resulted in the congestion of the settle- ment, which leads to a total population of 1 000 households.

Soweto Kahawa West informal settlement is lo- cated in the fringes of Nairobi city. It has a pop- ulation of over 1 000 households. Each house- hold has an average of three members, bringing the population to approximately 3 000.

Structures in the village are built using mud, timber and iron sheets, with some having ce- mented floors while others have earthed floors. A typical house in the settlement has two rooms occupied by a single household.

154 | Slum Profiles | Kasarani Division • Poor circulation network. Most of the circu- lation network is purely pedestrian. The earth surface roads are in a poor state. These roads also serve the community spaces where the resi- dents often meet and socialise. Over the dry season, they are very dusty and become muddy and difficult to access during the rainy season. These also serve as surface water drainage and are hence in a poor state. • The lack of adequate proper housing. The mud and wooden houses fall short of the minimum • Lack of stable means of income: The majority basic requirements for housing. They are in- of the population lives from hand to mouth and sufficiently designed and are overly unplanned. cannot afford to save and invest in order to break This has also resulted in overcrowding. Owing to the vicious cycle of poverty that holds them. The the poor planning, there is no coherent organi- few opportunities for work are far and cost a lot sation of the different activities. For instance in terms of time and fare to access them. There the pig-sties are not well sited in relation to the is need to look for income-generating activities dwelling spaces, consequently resulting in a that are more integrated within the community. poor hygienic situation.

• Lack of proper sanitation facilities. There is no proper provision of safe drinking water to the On average, most people work mainly as casual dwelling houses. Despite being adjacent to a labourers within the city (approximately 20 km sewage treatment plant, the settlement does not away). However, a number of shops are operat- have sewage disposal services. ed within the community to cater for the needs of the residents, while a few of the residents rear domestic animals such as pigs, goats and chicken.

Nairobi Inventory | 155