J U W S O BULLETIN T L N A N M D R E F O R OPERATION FIRIMBI Blow the Whistle Campaign

for JUST LAND REFORM

S R against LAND GRABBING W G E T S O O N I T N P and CORRUPTION in O D L B R E N A A B G L A N D G R Firimbi Bulletin published by Mazingira Institute PO Box 14550 00800 R A B B E D Tel: 254 20 4443219/26/29, Fax: 254 20 4444643 E-mail [email protected], Website: www.mazinst.org Issue No. 43 March 2016

Land grabbing in Nairobi City County

n Friday, November 27, 2015 during his historic visit to Kenya. Pope Francis highlighted to a Oglobal audience the pervasiveness of the blatant grabbing of public land, including playgrounds set aside for primary schools by well connected elites.

He said, “let us pray and work to ensure every family has access to dignifi ed housing, drinking water and other basic services. I am aware that faceless developers have attempted to give themselves the playgrounds of your children’s schools”.

Some of these speculators are perched atop the political ech- elons of this country. As the angry public protests illustrated, Kenyans from pre-teen pupils to ageing grandmothers have loudly said no to the culture of impunity, swelling the ranks of the Piga Firimbi (Blow the Whistle) brigade who are determined to name and shame the agents of corruption, public theft and bad governance.

In a very large measure this is a great vindication of the long campaign initiated by the Mazingira Institute in the mid nineties known as the Operation Firimbi campaign. Indeed this very bulletin is an offspring of that grass roots mobilization effort.

Unfortunately, despite the trending Arap Singh hash tags on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere on social media it appears there are many more powerful politicians, big moneyed real estate developers and other pin striped white collar criminals determinate to loot and pillage Kenyan land and natural resources.

The April 1, 2016 edition of the Star newspaper reports on page 16 that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority wants the National Land Commission to review the land on which Demolition of mansions by Ministry of Roads, Public Works and Housing. The government action to restore grabbed public land recieved overwhelming Weston Hotel (owned by Deputy President Ruto) sits. In support from the people. their February 19, 2015 letter to the NLC, KCAA wants the commission to facilitate issue of title deeds for Kenya land grab, according to some keen Nairobi observers was down two rooms-10 and 500-at City Hall that were alleg- Civil Aviation Authority properties. “We lodged a formal for the school ground to be used as a parking lot for the edly being used by cartels to carry out their operations. He complaint requesting your commission’s intervention to Weston Hotel. said that “there are people at the city hall who are collecting facilitate issuance of title documents for KCAA proper- Ksh 50 million every month for garbage collection yet they ties by commencing investigations to establish legality of For example, recently residents of and Eastleigh are not seeing the job through. Cartels have also invaded all grants in respect of land, with a view to revoking any estates protested against grabbing of Pumwani Maternity the lands docket and are being involved in land grabbing illegal allocations.” Hospital and Eastleigh open-air market land. Fifteen acres and fraudulent transactions.” meant for the expansion of the hospital were allegedly In a revealing story, Citizen TV did an interview with grabbed, resulting in stalling of the expansion plans. The In February 2016, National Assembly William Ruto who proudly claimed ownership of Weston land was supposed to house an administration block, in- Majority Leader Elias Otieno was accused of illegally evict- Hotel. The property later achieved national notoriety fol- tensive care unit, operating theatre, mortuary, staff houses ing small scale traders in from their premises in lowing a highly publiclized student led protest who were and playground. Only 5 acres are available now. his apparent move to grab land. Josephat Omondi one of against the grabbing of the playing grounds of the adjacent the affected traders in the area said the MCA was using Langata Primary School. Part of the motivation for the In January 2016, the Nairobi County Governor, Dr. Evans hired goons to storm into business premises and destroy- Kidero announced that Nairobi Governor he had closed ing property.

OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 1 In a separate development, Nairobi Senator was reported in the media as leading a demonstration against the grabbing of a portion of land set aside for a water reservoir in Nairobi’s Loresho area. Bulldozers and trucks were on the land on which construction had been halted after residents complained. At least one acre has been hived off the reservoir that serves Loresho and Spring Valley estates. Senator Sonko, MCA Alvin Palapala and residents stormed the site and ejected workers of Shital Bhandari who has claimed ownership of the land. The senator was quoted as saying: “Who is Bhandari that he can disrespect the EACC, the Senate, the NLC and the court which is- sued an injunction to stop any construction on the land?” Loresho Residents Association chairman Richard Njoba said the High Court, EACC, NEMA and the National Land Commission moved to stop construction on the one-acre portion.

It is against the above ongoing backdrop that we should see the Nairobi Declaration on Land Grabbing and Just Governance in Africa which took place in Limuru from the 22nd to 26th of November 2015 bringing together over 100 organizations from various civil society organiza- tions and different faith traditions from Africa, Asia, the America and Europe.

Among the declarations, the participants opposed land grabbing by investors, traditional leaders and govern- ments talking on behalf of the people and assuming that everybody has something to gain from land grabbing and its subsequent investments.

They stated that Africa was the main target of land grab- bing worldwide, with foreign multinationals as the major catalysts of this “shameful mass acquisition of prime farmlands that is on course of ripping Africa and its future generations of its livelihoods and identity. Most of the land handed out to them is being used to produce goods for export, mainly non-food goods such as minerals and raw (agricultural) materials for foreign industries as well as to develop infrastructure. We are also aware that locals, governments and fi nancial institutions play an important role in this phenomenon.”

They said that many public policies and frameworks de- veloped by African governments and major powers – such as the G8 and international institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization and the World Economic Forum – facilitate directly or indirectly massive land acquisitions which are exploiting earth resources and land in an unsustainable way.

They declared that they were seeking for frameworks that allow communities to keep or regain access, control and ownership over their land and other natural resources in order to feed their families, their communities and eventu- ally, to feed the world; the right to food and to water to be fully realized as an indivisible part of human rights; local community-owned and driven investments to fl ourish; communities to invest in other levels of the food chain in their own countries; an increase in resilience of rural com- munities avoiding rural exodus and forceful and inhumane evictions; gender equality and provides opportunities to youth and communities’ right to protect their identity and

cultural heritage.

S T G O N P I B L B A N R A D G Scenes from the protest at attempted grabbing of Langata Primary School playground.

2 OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 A shocked stall owner Jean Wanjiru, cries when she Þ nds her stall ß attened. Whistle blowers: Members and residents of Village Association and Operation Firimbi activists in a protest march on UN Avenue to Karura River.

Prof. Wangari Mathai and Davinder Lamba confer with the lead lawyer Pheroze Nowrojee over a case seeking to stop the proposed exci- sions of gazetted forests.

Construction of boundary walls and grading of road by a developer claiming the Karura River riparian reserve, dispite a directive by the Nairobi City Council, not to do so.

OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 3 No action on grabbed Peponi land In Kenya impunity by powerful well connected grabbed piece of public land and ordered the de- Earlier, Karanja Njoroge, the Executive Director of forces is cynically present. molition of the perimeter wall. the Centre for Environmental Action had Þ red off the following letter to the PCEA on the 4 th of July On January 21 2015, the long struggle to save Nothing much has been heard since. The founda- 2014: Kibarage wetland took a dramatic turn when for- tion arm of the PCEA which is behind the contro- mer Cabinet Secretary for Lands led a team of versial property is still defending its ownership in National Youth Service of Þ cers and a bulldozer to our courts.

Dear Sir/Madam

RE: STOP DESTRUCTION OF THE KIBAGARE WETLAND

For years, renowned Kenyan environmental activist and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner, the late Professor Wangari Maathai, fought to protect over 10 acres of wetland on Lower Kabete Road/Peponi Road in Nairobi]

Kibagare wetland is an ecological haven for numerous tree, plant and bird species, as well as a source of income for an estimated 300 plant and pot sellers and other people who have been working in the area for over 15 years.

It has come to our attention that the piece of land was allocated to the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) by the Kenyan government in compensation for land the church had lost elsewhere.

Note that your action is against the Environmental Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission whose intention is to work to inspire and equip all congregations and presbyteries including the PCEA to work for Ecological Justice for all of God’s earth.

Other functions of the ministry include:

To produce, promote and distribute faith-based environmental resources for individuals, congregations and presbyteries

To link Presbyterians to resources on issues such as water, climate change, fracking, and even eco-justice worship

To oversee the Earth Care Congregations program, which encourages Presbyterian churches PCEA included to care for God’s earth and certi es those that have a€ rmed the Earth Care Pledge and taken holistic actions in earth care in the  elds of worship, education, facili- ties and outreach

To establish an Eco-Justice network dedicated to environmental wholeness with social justice, seeking to be a prophetic voice for sub- stantive change in the church and in the world among others.

This therefore means that the action of PCEA does not only contravene the Kenyan law but also the tenets to which PCEA subscribes to hence this petition to PCEA to drop the planned construction of luxury apartments at the Kibagare Wetland as it shall lead to wanton destruction of biodiversity.

We therefore advise that PCEA STOPS with immediate e ect the planned construction of the luxury apartments as this is bad PR to the PCEA especially given the fact that we have informed all the Presbyterian Networks across the globe.

We are open to discussing this issue in a constructive way, should you wish to get in touch with us.

4 OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 The National Land Commission responded to the July 12, 2014 Onyango Oloo, a senior writer and In preparing for this special edition of Firimbi we Kibagare wetland controversy by visiting the site researcher with Operation Firimbi and Davinder contacted Aziz Tom Chavangi to provide with us a and later on July 8, 2014 issued a letter copied to Lamba, Executive Director of the Malinger Institute follow up what had happened since Charity Ngilu Nairobi Governor Dr. and the OCS, were assaulted by PCEA goons at Kibarage wet- dramatic public act of early 2015. Spring Valley Police Station advising that any ac- lands in Westlands. tivities on the Kibarage River site Peponi Road be By time of going to press, his response was still suspended. Oloo ended in the Casualty section of MP Shah forthcoming, Hospital after being treated for a fresh arrow Despite this, the Presbyterian Church of East wound from an assault in ß icted by a horde of Africa acquired of Þ cial approval from NEMA for Maasai speaking militia wielding machetes, bows the construction, in violation of NEMA’s own 2010 and arrows, iron bars, rungus and other crude Þ ndings that Kibarage is a wetland and should not weapons. His attackers are employees of the PCEA be developed and also in violation of a 2001 inde- Church with an assignment to guard a controversial pendent Environmental Impact Assessment. piece of public land in Kibarage on Peponi Road across from the Westgate Mall. Davinder Lamba, All this was unfolding in the context of pro- the Executive Director of the Malinger Institute, tests and struggles by the Green Belt Movement, founder and leading light of the Operation Firimbi Malinger Institute, Centre for Environmental campaign against land grabbing and corruption was Action, the Committee for the Implementation of set upon by the same vicious assailants who clob- the Constitution and other activists. On Saturday, bered him on the back, shoulder and upper arm.

Members of the Commission of Inquiry into Illegal and Iregular Alocation of Public Land, at the grand villa awaiting completion, on Wayiyaki Way link road, in the upmarket Spring Valley surburb.

Stall owners protest outside the Law Courts after Þ lling contemp proceedings against the City Council’s, Francis Demolition of the grand villa and adjoining houses commences. The villa is priced at thirty million shillings. Karani and Salami Enterprises Ltd.

OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 5 Scenes from the protest at attempted grabbing of Langata Primary School playground

Operation Firimbi has been on the forefront of action to protect the country’s forests. In 1999, NGO’s led by Operation Firimbi and the Green Belt Movement organized demonstrations against the grab- bing of Karura forest, which on some occassions turned violent,

Stall owners protest outside the Law Courts after Þ lling contempt proceedings against the City Council’s, Francis Karani and Salami Enterprises Ltd.

6 OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 Background of Nairobi City County airobi, Kenya’s capital is among the smallest Nof the forty seven counties.

By area it is 268.8 square miles. According to 2009 census Þ gures, Nairobi had a population of 3.375 million people, making it Kenya’s largest metro- politan region, with a diverse multi-cultural and cosmopolitan composition derived from virtually of all the country’s racial, religious, ethnic and regional communities.

A big percentage of Nairobians live in the low in- come informal settlement and just like the country, the majority of people who live, work and study in the country are overwhelmingly young.

The Governor of the Nairobi County government is Dr. Evans Kidero and the Senator is Mike Sonko. Nairobi County has the highest number of constitu- encies in the country at seventeen which are further divided into eighty Þ ve electoral wards.

The constituencies are all which have Þ ve wards each: • Westlands Timothy Wanyonyi Wetangula (ODM) • Dagoretti North (Paul Arati Simba, ODM), • Dagoretti South (Dennis Kariuki Waweru, TNA), 15. Anthony Kiragu Karanja (Waithaka) 57. Alfred Ambani Muhindi (Lower Savannah • Langata, (Joash Odhiambo Olum, ODM), 16. David Njilithia Mberia (Karen) 58. Michael Ogada Okumu ( ) • Kibra, (Kenneth Odhiambo Okoth, ODM) 17. Maurice Gari Otieno (Nairobi West) 59. Kengere (Utawala) • Roysambu (Isaac Waihenya Ndirangu,TNA), 18. Alex Ouda Otieno (Mugumoini) 60. Kados Paul Muiruri Kiguathi (Mihango) • (John Njoroge Chege, TNA), 19. Dianah Kapeen (South C) 61. George Maina Njoroge (Umoja I) • Ruaraka, (Tom Joseph Francis Kajwang’, 20. Akuk Maurice (Nyayo Highrise) 62. Kingsley Wellington Odida (Umoja II) ODM) 21. Boniface Kitavi David (Laini Saba) 63 Martin Kinyanjui (Mowlem) • Embakasi South (Irshadali Mohamed 22. Fredrick Owino Obenge (Lindi) 64 Robert Mbatia (Embakasi West) Sumra,ODM), 23. Alhad Ahmed Adam (Makina) 65 Njuguna Mwangi (Maringo/Hamza) • Embakasi North (James Mwangi 24. David Njoroge Kairu (Woodley/Kenyatta 66 Samwel Nyaberi Nyangwara (Viwandani) Gakuya,TNA), Golf Course) 67 Ronald Melkizedek Milare (Harambee) • Embakasi Central (John Ndirangu Kariuki, 25. Pius Owino Otieno (Sarangombe) 68 Peter Anyule Imwatok (Makongeni) TNA), Embakasi East (John Ogutu Omondi, 26. Jackson Mwangi Ngare(Githurai) 69 Kenneth Irungu Mwangi (Pumwani) ODM), 27. Patrick Ngaruiya Chege (Kahawa West) 70 Osman Adow Ibrahim (Eastleigh North) • Embakasi West (George Theuri, TNA), 28. Pius Mwaura Mbono (Zimmerman) 71 Nelson Marakalu Masiga (Eastleigh South) • Makadara, (Benson Mutura Kangara (TNA), 29. Peter Muriithi Warutere (Roysambu) 72 Martin Mugo Kanyi (Airbase) • Kamukunji (Yusuf Abdi, TNA), 30. Amos Mbuthia Mukami (Kahawa) 73 Hashim Kamau (California) • Starehe, (William Maina Kamanda, TNA) 31. Erastus Muiruri Mburu (Clay City) 74 Julius Mwaniki Muchiri (Nairobi Central) • , (Steve KARIUKI ,ODM). 32. Isaac Njoroge Ngige (Mwiki) 75 James Mwaura Chege (Ngara) 33. Martin Waweru Gichuhi (Kasarani) 76 Peter Wahinya Njau (Pangani) The Nairobi Women’s Representative in the National 34. Kenneth Thugi Muroki (Njiru) 77 Millicent Wambui Mugadi (Ziwani/Kariokor) Assembly is Rachael Shebesh who was elected on 35. Daniel Mbugua Mari (Ruai) 78 Herman Masabu Azangu (Land Mawe) a TNA ticket, a component of the Jubilee ruling 36. Shadrack Juma Nyambu (Baba Dogo) coalition. 37. Wilson Ongele Ochola (Utalii) 38. Oscar Otieno Lore (Mathare North ) The Speaker plus the 127 Members of the Nairobi 39. Kennedy Oduru Nyambura (Lucky Summer) County Assembly elected and or nominated in 2013 40. Maxwell Ochieng Ochar () were: 41. Jairo Atenya Asitiba (Imara Daima) Alex ole Magelo (Speaker) 42. Alexander Mutisya Mulatya (Kwa-Njenga) 1. Alvin Olando Palapala (Kitisuru) 43. Elkana Omoga Mauti (Kwa- Reuben) 2. Jaffer Abdulahab Kassam (Parklands/ 44. Samuel Kagiri Mwangi (Pipeline) ) 45. Kennedy Okeyo Ngondi (Kware) 3. Kamau Thuo (Karura) 46. Michael Wainaina Wanjiku( North) 4. Peter Isuha Vukindu (Kangemi) 47. Peter Wanyoike Gitau ( Area) 5. Beatrice Kwamboka (Mountainview) 48. Stephen Murathi Kambi (Dandora Area II) 6. Moses Ogeto Nyangaresi (Kilimani) 49. Charles Thuo Wakarindi (Dandora Area III) 7. Fredrick Njogu Njoroge () 50. Daniel Oria Odhiambo (Dandora Area IV) 8. Obonyo Mike Guoro (Gatina) 51. Peter Migwi Gichohi (Kayole North) 9. Elias Otieno Okumu (Kileleshwa) 52. Jackson Kiama Gikandi (Kayole Central ) 10. Clarence Kipkemboi Munga(Kabiro) 53. Elizabeth Akinyi Manyala (Kayole South) 11. Martin Karanja Kingethu (Mutu-ini) 54. Samuel Irungu Mwangi (Komarock) 12. Peter Wahinya Kimuhu (Ngando) 55. Abdi Ibrahim Hassan (Matopeni/Spring 13. Samuel Ndungu Njoroge (Riruta) Valley) 14. John Waweru Kinuthia (Uthiru/Ruthimitu) 56. Benson Amutavi (Upper Savannah)

OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016 7 79 Manoah Karega Mboku (Nairobi South) ramshackle shanty town dwellings in the so called cation and privatization of public and community 80 George Ochieng Ochola (Hospital) “informal sector” slums was not an accident but lands supposed to further the national interests. 81 Wilfred Oluoch Odalo (Mabatini) grew in tandem in the rigours and demands of the Tak9ing their cue from the top political leadership 82 Peter Owera Oluoch () colonial economy’s demand Þ rst for cheap labour in the echelons of state power- lower ranked of- 83 Daniel Kithama Mutiso (Ngei) in the factories of Industrial Area and middle class Þ cials and bureaucrats employed at the municipal 84 Andrew Macharia Mbau (Mlango Kubwa) and upper middle class residential areas of Kenya’s level and even lower have morphed into overnight 85 James Kinuthia Waminja (Kiamaiko) post colonial parvenu rich drawn from the patron- billionaires owing entire residential estates and 86 Rachael Kamweru (Nominated) client relationships created by the post colonial other commercial property across Nairobi. 87 Magdalene Mbogori (Nominated ) governments of Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel arap Moi, 88 Elizabeth Sang (Nominated) and now, . Yet the city/county is teeming with beggars, street 89 Rose Ogonda (Nominated) families, sex workers, petty criminals and other in- 90 Petronilla Achieng (Nominated ) The growth of Nairobi-with its unplanned and hap- digent and hard pressed individuals and communi- 91 Margaret Sewe (Nominated) hazard residential areas and arbitrary business and ties. 92 Celestyne Ongere (Nominated ) commercial locations is a factor of the growth of an 93 Rosemary Wairimu Macharia (Nominated) unproductive and speculative elite tied to the rul- Despite the long Þ ght for constitutional, demo- 94 Janet Muthoni Kimondo (Nominated) ing circles which grabbed land, social services and cratic and other reforms as encapsulated with semi- 95 Ruth Njeri Nyambura (Nominated) amenities and facilities with utter impunity disre- nal events like the Nairobi We Want Convention, 96 Janet Wala (Nominated) garding existing laws and needs of the population. the demand for political pluralism, the 2002 elec- 97 Imeldah Nafula Wanjala (Nominated) tions, the 2010 Constitution and the slew of policy 98 Leah Mumo Matee (Nominated) More than sixty per cent of Nairobi’s popula- and legislative interventions that followed in the 99 Christine Aloo Abuto (Nominated) tion lives in the slums and informal settlements. wake of that historic event- other indicators- TNI’s 100 Joyce Bocha Nabwire (Nominated) Although more than three quarters of Nairobians Barometer of Corruption; the Gini Coef Þ cient; hu- 101 Rose Nancy Luchiri (Nominated) have access to piped water (either in the dwell- man rights reports as well as news carried daily by 102 Victoria Alali Angeni (Nominated) ings or communal water points) only slightly more the mainstream print and electronic media as well 103 Monica Waruiru Ndegwa (Nominated) than a 45% are connected to the main sewer sys- alternative social media coverage would indicate 104 Karen Wanjiku Githaiga (Nominated) tem. Within the informal settlements just a quarter that Nairobi County as the rest of Kenya is dead 105 Mark Ndungu Nganga (Nominated) have access to a latrine or ß ush toilet with almost set on an even more unequal socio-economic tra- 106 Amina Mohammed (Nominated) seventy per cent using public toilets while 6 % are jectory fraught with potential for future tensions 107 Mohamed Abdi (Nominated) forced to excrete in the open or use the so called and con ß ict on political, ethnic, regional and other 108 Tabitha Akinyi Juma (Nominated ) “ß ying toilets”. class cleavages. 109 Zulfa Hakim Mohammed (Nominated) In this special edition of Operation Firimbi we 110 Bernadette Wangui Nganga (Nominated) The housing situation in Nairobi has evolved over highlight some of the most egregious instances of 111 Marion Njeri Githinji (Nominated) the years. From 1930 to the early 1960s, there land-based graft and injustices, amply highlighted 112 Nancy Nyambura Mwaura (Nominated) were state investments in public housing to house by Pope Francis in his unvarnished public remarks 113 Dorcas Muthoni Njoroge (Nominated) the government working population as the British during his unforgettable 2015 visit to Nairobi. 114 Hellen Katangie (Nominated) colonial government restricted urban population to 115 Emmaculate Mbegwa Musya (Nominated) comprise of Nairobi’s workforce only. 116 Florence Achieng Athembo (Nominated) 117 Alexina Likono Mudi (Nominated) Soon after Kenya’s independence in 1964, the 118 Susan Karimi Njue( Nominated) post government’s investment in public housing 119 Jacquiline Awino Nyangala (Nominated) diminished owing to the dwindling state resources 120 Jane Muasya (Nominated) coupled with a fast growing population that was fa- 121 Catherine Apiya Okoth (Nominated) voured by the lift of the colonial ban of rural-urban 122 Hawa Dafala Absumum (Nominated) migration. This era opened the scene for private 123 William Abuka (Nominated) sector involvement in housing supply. 124 Mercy Wanjiku Kariuki (Nominated) 125 Tabitha Wothaya Ndigirigi (Nominated) According to a recent study, the private sector mo- 126 Asha Abdi Sosso (Nominated) tivation for pro Þ t and higher returns left many of 127 Carolyne Achieng Muga (Nominated) Nairobi’s low-income population without proper housing, resulting in informal settlement develop- A big chunk of the above county assembly mem- ments at very rapid rates. The state viewed these bers are young, and in keeping with recent politi- informal settlements as eye sore to the city’s devel- cal, legislative and constitutional reforms, women opment prospects. In the period between the 1970 are represented in the county national assembly, and 1990s there were mass evictions of squatters although in terms of members of parliament, none, and clearance of slums which were adopted by with the exception of the county women repre- Nairobi based policy makers as strategies to clean sentatives, is female-even though were dozens of the city. women aspirants who contested the 2013 elec- tions. Happening at the same time as the evictions there were effort to implement of housing strategies It is not a surprise that despite her small size, such as the site-and-service schemes in 1980s with Nairobi has been at the epicentre of epic land duels assistance from international Þ nanciers. going back to the time of the colonial period. The Kenya government supported a number of This is primarily due to the fact that being Kenya’s slum upgrading programmes in Nairobi to help in capital many of political, economic and other in- resolving the urban poor’s housing. trigues around land, housing, social services and Firimbi Bulletin livelihoods around the country exist in microcosm These and other developments continue to this day, Editors Davinder Lamba within the country. Some of these issues date back despite the brief period where there was somewhat Onyango Oloo to the onset of the colonial period when the settler misplaced hope that the much hankered for 2010 Design Macharia Wairia administration delineated Nairobi along racial and Constitution would solve almost all the social, eco- class lines-some of which survive to this day. nomic and political problems ailing Kenya for de- cades. The existence of “Eastlands” neighbourhoods, dominated by working class and low income com- Recent developments like the grabbing of school munities and subsequent mushrooming of lumpen playgrounds follows a pattern of arbitrary con Þ s- Printed by Colourprint Ltd. The opinions expressed in this bulletin are not necessarily those of the agencies supporting the publication.

8 OPERATION FIRIMBI Bulletin March 2016