KENYA: Slum residents move to new homes

Record ID: 361901

  • Title: KENYA: Slum residents move to new homes
  • Date: 17th September 2009
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (SEPTEMBER 16, 2009) (REUTERS) UPGRADED HOUSES IN BACKGROUND/SLUM HOUSES IN FOREGROUND RESIDENTS OUTSIDE WITH THEIR BELONGINGS DIRTY WATER FLOWING OUTSIDE HOUSES VARIOUS OF MAN DEMOLISHING HOUSE VARIOUS OF RESIDENTS LOADING MOVING TRUCK VARIOUS OF KIBERA RESIDENT GEROGE OLALI SUPERVISING MOVERS OLALI'S WIFE HILDA OLALI PACKING (SOUNDBITE) (Swahili)
  • Embargoed: 2nd October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Topics: Social Services / Welfare
  • Reuters ID: LVA3VUB942517733ZOY7STYIYF68
  • Story Text: Years of investment go down with one swing of a hammer. This house in Africa's largest slum, Kibera once stood as a two-bedroom structure with no toilet and no bathroom, accommodating a family of five.
    But an ambitious slum upgrading project launched by the government on Wednesday (September 16) is moving the family into improved housing.
    Over 1000 families have been moved in the first phase of the project organised by the government and the United Nations 'Habitat Programme.' George Olali's mud house cost him 580 U.S. Dollars to construct in 1996, but he does not regret tearing it down today and moving away.
    "I have no regrets, because I know where I am going, I was taken there, the day before yesterday and is is definitely better than where I used to live, so I have no regrets at all," said Olali.
    Kibera is Africa's largest slum. Sewage runs though ditches, while pathways are littered with animal waste, garbage and human waste.
    Overcrowding in Kibera is a huge problem, where more than 800,000 people live on 250 hectares of land.
    Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing Tirop Kosgey says the residents will be moved in several phases, and the process will take nine years and cost 2 billion U.S. Dollars.
    The old shanty houses will be taken down and replaced with more permanent concrete structures.
    "The purpose of this relocation is that people are moving to houses, which we have been constructed for the purpose of temporary relocation. What happened initially is, with the community we have agreed that we will not displace them geographically in the improved and security tenure basis of of resettlement, so their right to own remains where we found them initially," said Kosgey.
    The move is part of a long-term poverty eradication programme that critics say is long overdue.
    Kenya's government has a long history of corruption that has often seen money meant for the people making its way to the pockets of a greedy few within the country's ruling elite.
    The new houses will cost the new tenants 13 U.S. Dollars monthly.
    The Olali family say they are just happy to have indoor plumbing and windows.
    "There is such a big difference here. Our old house did not even have windows. This one has good ventilation and indoor plumbing, a toilet and a bathroom. These are things I did not have before, it is such a difference," said the head of the house. George Olali.
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