Slums upgrading project hits a snag

The Slum Upgrading Programme in Nyeri has hit a snag after residents refused to form housing co-operatives, a prerequisite before benefiting from government funding.

The slum dwellers say they want allotment letters for the land where they have put up their homes first, before construction can start.

“We rejected the co-operatives because we do not even have papers to show that the land we live on is ours,” said John Wangacha, a resident in one of the slums.

“The Ministry of Lands may come and do proper allotment of their land in future, but our role as the Housing ministry is to ensure people have a safe place to live,” said Ms Leah Muraguri who is charge of the Slum Upgrading Programme.

The slums upgrading is expected to include building of access roads, installing lighting and other infrastructure.

“They first have to get organised into cooperatives to mobilise funds and then the government can come in and develop the infrastructure for them,” said Ms Muraguri.

“Through cooperatives, they can make voluntary contributions which can help them to even build better houses or even buy land somewhere else,” she said.

The arrangement has succeeded in other towns where residents have formed 27 cooperatives, attracting support from financiers.