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Kibera

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View of Kibera

Kibera in Nairobi, Kenya is one of the largest slums in Africa with a population of over one million people (estimates range widely). The name "Kibera" is derived from kibra, a Nubian word meaning "forest" or "jungle." [1]

History

The slum originated in 1920 as a Nubian soldiers' settlement. The British colonial government of the time allowed them to squat on a hillside outside Nairobi, primarily because the British felt the Nubian population could be trusted during the Kikuyu-dominated Mau Mau movement of the 1950s.

After Kenyan independence in 1963, various forms of housing were made illegal by the government, rendering Kibera unauthorised on the basis of land tenure. Essentially, since the early 1970s landlords have rented out their property to a significantly greater number of tenants than legality permits. However the tenants, who are extremely poor, and are unable to obtain or rent land that is "legal", according to the Kenyan government. The slum-dwellers therefore find the rates offered to be affordable, so the number of residents in Kibera has increased despite its unauthorised nature.

This process has been exacerbated because, over time other tribes have moved into the area, renting land from the Nubian landlords. Since then, the Kikuyu have come to predominate the population and by 1974 had effectively gained control over administrative positions. This demographic change subsequently determined which of the dwellings, all of which are technically illegal, are demolished or permitted by the government. This occurs primarily through political patronage, as certain owners are protected by local government officers largely based on their Kikuyu ethnicity, and changes in administrative personnel may have drastic impacts on a landlord's security. [2]

Kibera has residents coming from all the major ethnic backgrounds with some areas being specifically dominated by one tribe (ie. Kisumu Ndogo). Many are coming from rural areas due to the problems of rural underdevelopment. This multi-ethnic nature coupled with the tribalism of Kenyan politics has led Kibera to be the site of small ethnic conflicts throughout its near 100 year history (most recently in 2002 in which many resident's homes were attacked by arson).

Geography and culture

Kibera is located southwest of Nairobi city centre and is the same size as Manhattan's Central Park (approximately 2.5 square kilometres (600 acres)). Nairobi Dam is to the south. It is sited approximately 5 km south east of the city centre of Nairobi. It holds more than a quarter of Nairobi's population. The estimated population density is 300,000/km².[3] There are a number of villages, including Kianda, Soweto, Gatwekera, Kisumu Ndogo, Lindi, Laini Saba, Siranga/Undugu, Makina and Mashimoni.[4]

A railway line passes through Kibera, thus passengers heading for Kisumu can view the slum. Kibera has a railway station, but due to absence of effective commuter train system in Nairobi, most Kibera residents use buses, often called "Citi Hoppas," and Matatus to reach city centre. However, riding the Matatus proves to be considerably dangerous, due to the high levels of violent crime in Nairobi. Irresponsible driving in the area also makes travel perilous.

Kibera is heavily polluted by soot, open sewage routes, human and animal feces and dust. The combination of poor nutrition and lack of sanitation accounts for many illnesses. Not only is death by disease and conflict common inside this slum, but it is estimated that 1/5 of the 2.2 million Kenyans living with HIV live in Kibera.

Kibera is home to the popular Olympic Primary School, one of the leading government schools in the country.

References in popular culture

Kibera is featured in Fernando Meirelles's film The Constant Gardener, which is based on the book of the same name by John Le Carré and is also mentioned in the music video World On Fire by Sarah McLachlan, which profiled the work of Carolina for Kibera, a grassroots organization named a Hero of Global Health in 2005 by Time Magazine.[5]

Notes

  1. ^ Affordable Housing Institute blog
  2. ^ The geography of Third World cities. ISBN 0-389-20671-7. (Lowder, Stella)
  3. ^ WarmAfrica.com article
  4. ^ Map at Caroline for Kibera
  5. ^ Yunus Ndeti - A Brief History of Kibera, 2003 [1]

See also

External links

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