Despite the numerous concerted efforts by the government and good-willed individuals, the housing crisis still remains very real in Kibera.
When the rainy seasons approach, the slum dwellers start experiencing revived headaches owing to the kinds of shanties accommodating them. An average dimension of a shack in slums is approximately 12 by 12 feet plastered with mud, cement on the floors and roofed with faded corrugated iron sheets. The average cost of such houses does not exceed sh700 subject to demand. To minimise on space, the houses usually do not have beds.
Christopher Manjogu, aged 62, says his roadside mud-walled house almost buried him alive during the Tuesday night rains. He narrated of how his rusty iron sheets started leaking, letting constant jets of water into his single room. The mud wall also started soaking in the floods that had formed outside his compound before finally falling down. He contends that he is used to the life since he has been living in the area since time in memorial.
His call is, however, directed to the county government of Nairobi and the central government to help them with empowerment opportunities as a way of releasing them from the yokes of poor housing.
Despite the government plans of rolling out cheap housing in the slums, the housing crisis in the area is still in pathetic conditions. The structures that the government has so far constructed are way below the threshold given the large population of slum dwellers.
It is hoped the government will hasten its efforts to find alternative houses to save the people from the extreme weather changes.