Strategy
Kiambu County is poised to make significant advances in improving housing conditions and enhancing the overall quality of life for the residents through strategic partnership.
Kiambu County government has partnered with South Consulting Africa Limited to improve informal settlements and develop a slum upgrading and prevention strategy for the County.
Appointed by the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, the collaboration will be a key component of the Second Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP 2), aimed at fostering sustainable development and enhancing living conditions across Kiambu.
Speaking during a meeting, Julius Mwololo, the Kiambu County KISIP 2 Coordinator highlighted the County’s steadfast support underscoring the importance of a strategy that is deeply rooted in the needs and voices of Kiambu residents. “We welcome the South Consulting Africa Ltd team. Our approach must be community-inclusive, ensuring that the strategy truly reflects the unique challenges and aspirations of our people,” he added.
Stakeholders during a meeting on slum upgrading and prevention strategy for Kiambu County.
Mwololo noted that by engaging directly with communities, solutions that not only address their current needs can be developed but can also pave the way for a more resilient and equitable future. Gabriel Muli, Deputy Director of the Slum Upgrading Department from the KISIP 2 National Project Coordination Team (NPCT) emphasized the necessity for customized solutions to address the unique needs of each county.
“Each county has distinct characteristics. The strategies we will develop here will be tailored specifically to Kiambu’s needs, ensuring that our solutions are both relevant and effective in addressing the unique challenges faced by the residents,” Muli said.
South Consulting Africa Ltd team representative, Musyimi Mbathi emphasized the importance of the critical document and reiterated the pressing issue of emerging vertical slum expansion. He highlighted the need for an actionable strategy to address slum expansion both in counties and across Kenya.
“Slum upgrading and prevention are crucial for ensuring that urban growth is sustainable and beneficial for all residents,” Mbathi said. He added that by developing tailored approaches that address the unique challenges of each county, they will be able to foster more resilient and equitable urban environments
The strategy will involve a thorough situational analysis, extensive field studies, and input from residents and leaders to create an actionable plan for slum upgrading and prevention.
The initiative bolstered by the KISIP 2’s Institutional Capacity Development Component receives support from major stakeholders, including Government, the World Bank, the European Union, and AFD France and gears towards a robust framework for addressing slum challenges and fostering sustainable urban development.
According to the experts, the combined efforts of the KISIP 2’s Institutional Capacity Development component and support from key stakeholders will drive impactful change and foster sustainable urban development in the region. Kiambu is among Counties that were selected for KISIP phase II project with three informal settlements within Kiambu County set for upgrade.
The KISIP project is a government project that was launched back in 2011 to improve the living conditions in informal settlements in selected urban centers.