Apart from the well-known fact that Kibera is the biggest slum in Nairobi and among the biggest in Africa, what else do you know about the slum?
There is much that people don't know about this home to approximately 2.5 million Kenyans. The slum alone constitutes 60% of Nairobi's population having about 200 settlements. Surprisingly, Kibera occupies an approximate of 6% of the land in Nairobi. Yes, more than half the city is housed on a mere 6% of the total land.
Land in the slum is fully owned by the government and only 10% of the residents are shack owners and landlords. The remaining 90% of residents are tenants while a number of them also own posh apartments around the slum. It's not clear why they still stay in the slum yet they own a spread of apartments that generate at least Sh300,000 in a month.
Kibera was initially home to the Nubian people originating from the border separating Kenya from Sudan border. The slum was however encroached by other communities who pushed the Nubians to occupy about 15% of Kibera currently. Kikuyu people are the majority landlords in the slum, and also the majority tribe in Nairobi (even though most of them do not live there but are absentee landlords). Majorly, the slum is made up of the Luo, Luhya and Kamba communities.
More than half of Nairobi's residents in Kibera do not have primary access to electricity with the slum having a 20% electricity connection. The United Nations, UN, has however moved in to remedy the situation. Water has as well been an issue in the locality until recently when the Nairobi City council moved in and provided piped water. The world bank also chipped in and now water in the slum retails at KES 3 per 20 litres.
Against all odds, the slum has contributed largely to the economic growth of the city, providing half the workforce in the city (majorly manual labour in the Industry area and unskilled workers).
The slum is also a hub of talents having produced a number of artists and notable footballers and sportsmen in the country. Lest we forget, it is of importance to note that there are no government clinics or hospitals within the slum. The providers of healthcare are the charitable organisations largely the AMREF, churches, MSF and others.