Dubbed the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Programme (KISIP) is an undertaking that seeks to improve the living standards of slum dwellers by availing to them basic amenities such as water and sanitation systems as well as through the improvement of infrastructure in the selected slums.
KISIP will be implemented by the Government jointly through the Lands, Local Government and Housing ministries over a five year period beginning August this year.
It will be bankrolled by the World Bank to the tune of Sh8.9 billion (US$100 million) the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) at Sh0.89 billion (US$10million) and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) at Sh4 billion (USD$5million) respectively.
The Government will on the other hand contribute Sh0.89 billion (US$10 million) as counterpart financing which will include non-cash contributions.
Speaking during its launch, Housing minister Soita Shitanda hailed the programme as transformational saying it would greatly complement Government's efforts of improving housing conditions of Kenyans which was now anchored as a right in the new constitution.
While Projecting that Kenyan urban areas will account for 54% of Kenya's population by 2030, Shitanda regretted that rapid urbanization and inadequate capacity to cope with the housing needs of Kenyans in urban areas had contributed to the sprouting of informal settlements.
"Rapid urbanization continues to be a major challenge in developing countries. More than 70% world population will be living in the cities by 2050. Our policies must therefore be informed by this reality. We must plan in advance and in accordance to the size of the problem," he said.World Bank country director for Kenya Johaness Zutt said the programme would be a big boost for Kenya's efforts to provide adequate infrastructure, housing, as well as social services to urban populations which increased at an alarmingly high rate.
"Every year over 200,000 Kenyans move to cities and formerly rural areas, are becoming increasingly urban. Twenty years ago only 18 % of Kenyans lived in cities.
Today 30 % do and by nearly 2030 nearly half the population will live and work in cities. Urban management and infrastructure will therefore have to be significantly strengthened to meet the challenges," he said.
Speaking at the launch, Lands Minister James Orengo noted long running illegal land acquisition practices had compounded the problem of housing in Kenya by leading to high land prices locking many out of access to decent housing and amenities.
"Land has been used as basis for primitive accumulation of capital. This has made development of housing very difficult," he said, adding however that the new Constitution through a revamped Judiciary provided an opportunity to mend the present challenges of land distribution.
Housing Assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru challenged Local authorities to enhance their capacity to deal with housing challenges at the grass roots.
She added that the housing challenge in slums could be resolved if the issue of security of tenure for the slum dwellers would be resolved.
Among the targeted local Authorities in Kenya by the project out of a total of 45 include Eldoret, Embu, Garissa, Kakamega, Kericho, Kitui, Kisumu, Machakos, Malindi and Mombasa.
Others include Nairobi City, Naivasha, Nakuru, Nyeri, and Thika.
The project will run for an initial five years ending in 2016. It is renewable for a further five years, subject to its success or failure.
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