Kenya Requires Sh800bn to Upgrade Slums in Major Towns

September 28, 2009 – The Kenya slum upgrade programme, featuring Nairobi and other parts of the country will cost the government a total of Sh800 billion according to Housing minister Shoita Shitanda.

To this end the government has initiated the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) whose first phases include improvement of slums in Kisumu, Nairobi, and Mombasa while the second phase will cover other provincial towns including slums in Eldoret and Thika.

Housing minister Soita Shitanda said the plan was part of the government’s efforts to achieve Vision 2030. The Minister, who was speaking at the Kisumu Housing Expo, said that there is need to develop Kisumu’s property market as the region has been mooted to become the headquarters of the East Africa Community.

Shitanda said the ministry is implementing slum upgrading projects in Kisumu’s informal settlements through KENSUP which aims at improving the lives and living conditions of about 5.4 million slum dwellers in all Kenyan urban slums through systematic improvement of living environment.

He said the Government has drafted a Bill that will address the problems between landlords and tenants.

Kisumu Mayor Sam Okello urged investors to construct more houses and hostels in the Lake side town to meet the increasing demand for accommodation.

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