Some interesting statistics and facts on the slums:
* Sub-saharan Africa has the world’s largest proportion of urban slum dwellers.
* 72% of Africa’s urban population live in slums. (Statistics from Exec Director of UN Habitat, Dr Anne Tibaijuka)
* 45% of urban Kenyans live in slums (approx 13.5 million).
* In Nairobi 60% of residents are slum dwellers.
* UN-Habitat has been supporting the government in a slums upgrading programme in Kenya but the process is slow and does not require those living in the slums to be involved.
* Kibera slum houses 700,000 people. A planned Kibera can only accommodate about 440,000 and residents are afraid they could not afford proposed rent for new houses.
* Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) is a government led initiative which suggests communities and individuals in the slums contribute as much as possible into the scheme. This approach should be encouraged as it will help the slum residents take on responsibility, contribute and ultimately benefit from proper housing. To do this the slum community will need a lot of help in how to organise themselves, participate effectively and co-operatives must well lead and free from corruption (tricky). Other donors involved in KENSUP include the government, development partners, private sector, the civil society. The upgrading programme is to be implemented between 2005-2020 (hopefully).
Information from: Oluoch Japheth in ‘The Big Issue’ Kenya, June issue. (The Big Issue was launched in Kenya 4 months ago)