Nairobi: The State Department for Housing and Urban Development, through its slum upgrading department, organized a public participation event to discuss the Climate-Resilient, Social Housing and Infrastructure Programme at Lugaga Wamuluma Ward in Vihiga County. The initiative is designed to promote sustainable housing, resilient infrastructure, and inclusive socio-economic development in informal settlements.
According to Kenya News Agency, an official from the slum upgrading department, Mutugi Mugo, emphasized that the purpose of the visit was to engage in public participation, focusing on a program to be incorporated into a slum upgrading bill known as the Climate Resilience Social Housing Improvement Program. Mugo explained that the exercise involved discussions with selected members from the Mjini settlement and data collection on housing conditions and the state of informal settlements where Mjini residents live.
Mugo detailed that the assessment of informal settlements would cover various aspects such as housing types, infrastructure conditions, and climate change impacts. The data collected will support the development of the slum upgrading bill, which will be presented to Parliament for proposal and enactment.
The bill’s formulation involves data collection from 34 counties, and once finalized, it will include guidelines for Social Housing Associations. The program will build on previous efforts by the Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Program (KISIP), incorporating feedback from communities willing to participate in the initiative. Residents of Lugaga Wamuluma Ward voiced concerns over poor drainage, lack of social amenities, soil erosion, insecurity, water scarcity, and increased dumping sites.
During the event, Mbale market trader Ben Were highlighted the lack of public toilets and the need for improved drainage systems. Peter Kuka, a resident of Mbale town, expressed concerns over insecurity, poor sewerage conditions, and water scarcity. Vihiga Municipality Social Development officer Isaac Chelimo, representing the Municipality manager, urged residents to remain patient as the county government works to install necessary infrastructure, despite financial and spatial constraints.
Chelimo also addressed concerns about lighting, explaining that while the county had shifted to solar street lighting due to high electricity costs, the transition was taking longer than anticipated. The participation exercise utilized a mixed-method approach, including Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), household surveys, and field observations, to collect information from communities and stakeholders.
The initiative aims to incorporate community feedback and evidence into the design of interventions tailored to local needs and priorities, as well as to share the draft slum upgrading and prevention bill.
