Slums dwellers in Kibera area on Monday vowed to resist any attempts by the county government to demolish their structures to pave way for new housing units.
They expressed concern over the county government’s plans to remove informal settlements which they said were providing housing to thousands of urban poor.
The county government recently launched an ambitious development plan that will see 50,000 new houses built in the coastal city by 2035 to ease housing congestion.
Under the Vision 2035, the county plans to replace old houses in Kianda, Katwekera, Kisumo Ndogo, and Mama Okinda area with new ones in partnership with private developers.
Led by Area MCA Pius Owino KOtieno popularly known as ‘Kotieno’ the residents condemned the county authorities for not explaining where the thousands of dwellers would go after their slums have been demolished.
Kotieno said the unveiled vision 2035 was a smokescreen to evict poor urban folks and pave way for moneyed individuals to take over the assets of the county.
A local political activist, Pius Owino said many of the residents whose homes were under threat had been living in the areas earmarked for demolition for over 30 years.
“How can the county authorities think of evicting people without any form of compensation or relocation”, posed Mwangala.
The county executive for land, housing and planning Tom Kamau however, cautioned people against politicising the Shs. 200 billion scheme that will also create 500,000 jobs for the youth.
“The plans to construct 50,000 affordable housing units are to address the housing crisis in Kibera”, he said.