Residents of Kibera and Korogocho have the right to healthcare, education and reproductive choice. This article, originally published on 29 January 2024, explores population data and access to services in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Investment in services and infrastructure matters; population density alone does not explain the conditions people face.

Kenya’s 2019 census recorded 4,397,073 people in Nairobi City County. This is a count for the county in 2019, not an estimate for 2023 or 2026. Population figures for the county, the wider urban area and individual informal settlements refer to different boundaries and should not be treated as interchangeable.

This article focuses on Kibera and Korogocho, two of Nairobi’s informal settlements, and the barriers residents face in accessing services.

ACCESS TO SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Residents of Kibera and Korogocho need access to water, sanitation, healthcare, education and secure livelihoods. Population density is one part of the context; it does not, by itself, explain poverty or access to services.

Zooming in on Kibera and Korogocho reveals intricacies that influence the lives of its residents. Despite the unique characteristics or subtleties present in each of these local contexts, they do not lead to significant changes in the overall situation.

Population counts for Kibera and Korogocho need a stated date and geographic boundary. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ urbanisation report distinguishes informal-settlement populations from the administrative areas that contain them. A figure for Kibra sub-county, for example, is not a count for the Kibera settlement alone.

SAFETY CONCERNS AND ACCESS TO LIVELIHOODS

A Security Research and Information Centre study published in 2014 surveyed Kibra, Bondeni, Manyatta and Mishomoroni. Of 654 respondents, 400 (61.2%) identified youth unemployment as a cause of crime. This records respondents’ views across four settlements; it is not the proportion of crimes caused by unemployment, and Korogocho was not among the study areas.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION

A UN-Habitat facilities mapping report for Kibera, dated June 2020, reported that over 90% of the mapped education facilities occupied cramped spaces that did not meet general school-space standards. The mapping took place between 20 May and 10 June 2020 in the context of COVID-19. This is a historical finding about mapped facilities in Kibera, not a current assessment of all schools or of Korogocho.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS

The Nairobi Cross-sectional Slums Survey 2012 report, published in 2014, estimated total fertility at 3.5 children per woman for its surveyed Nairobi informal-settlement population, compared with 4.0 in the 2000 survey. These are historical survey estimates, not current figures for Kibera or Korogocho individually.

In the 2012 survey, median age at first birth among women aged 25–49 was 15.4 years for those with no education and 20.9 years for those with at least secondary education. This compares education groups within the survey, not a rise over time. Of 3,416 non-first births in the five years preceding the survey, 23% occurred less than 24 months after the previous birth. First births were excluded from that calculation (report Tables 3.6 and 3.8).

These historical findings provide context for access to education and reproductive healthcare. Everyone should be able to make informed reproductive choices and obtain voluntary family planning services; neither these survey comparisons nor population density establish the causes of present-day conditions in either settlement.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH

Nairobi, distinguished among capital cities near the Great River Valley escarpment, stands as one of the world’s ten highest capitals. The city’s elevated setting is the source of numerous rivers and streams, forming a complex network known as the Nairobi River Basin. Informal settlements, like Korogocho along the Mathari River and Kibera along the Ngong River, flank these watercourses, culminating at Nairobi Dam (Kenyan Geography).

Kibera’s poor drainage and its proximity to the Ngong River poses severe threats, especially the annual risk of flooding, leading to a cascade of issues – disease outbreaks, including cholera and diarrhoea, and loss of life and property. The allure of cheaper rents along water bodies, where flood risk is high, often compels the poorest residents to risk their lives and assets. This vulnerability extends downstream to Nairobi Dam and further downstream to the central business district. Additionally, the organic pollution levels in Kibera, driven by the unchecked disposal of solid and human waste, reach alarming levels akin to raw sewage.

These interconnected challenges extend to unreliable and inaccessible water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in both Kibera and Korogocho. Insufficient solid waste disposal systems lead residents to resort to haphazard disposal by the roadside, in trenches, or in the environment, leading to a domino effect of issues, such as diarrhoea in children playing near trenches, blockage of drains, and flooding during the rainy season. The disposal of hazardous materials in dumpsites further poses health risks to the community, emitting fumes associated with respiratory infections.

The absence of proper sewerage systems results in the disposal of faecal matter in rivers, posing a heightened risk of infections, especially among children. Inadequate toilet coverage and access in schools and households is associated with increased infections, particularly among girls.

The AfricaNews article underscores the environmental challenges confronting Nairobi, particularly the pollution of the Nairobi River. The unchecked sewage and industrial pollutants in the river emerge as a severe threat, endangering the health of communities along its banks and the whole ecosystem. This contamination raises immediate health risks for residents relying on the river for water and food resources, creating a direct link between environmental degradation and health.

ADDRESSING THE INTERCONNECTED CHALLENGES HOLISTICALLY

Effectively tackling urbanisation challenges demands a holistic approach that goes beyond infrastructure development. Cities, seen as dynamic ecosystems, need thoughtful management of social, economic, and environmental factors. Holistic strategies can reshape urbanisation, prioritising well-being and dignity, fostering resilient and inclusive communities through considerations of social equity, economic well-being, and environmental sustainability.

EMPOWER TO PLAN

This article’s January 2024 account described earlier Empower to Plan projects with Ghettoh Clean Group in Kibera and KOMB Green Solutions in Korogocho, alongside the AWOCHE Foundation collaboration. It remains a historical partner story. The original AWOCHE project account describes the intended activities; this article does not report verified current outcomes.