Why Map Urban Informal Settlement?

Informal settlements are generally ‘unrecognised’ in many urban settings. In years that have passed places like Mathare, Kibera and Mukuru were not visible on the net. With the advent of participatory mapping and Open Street Map platform, it became practical for communities that are hidden from rest of the world to be visible.

Open Street Map has now become the alternative to showing what most governmens would not want highlighted due to ‘policies’. My experience of mapping Mathare was filled with anxious moments and too many questions by the village elders. Elders in 2010 looked at mapping as a way of  demacating land and plot allocation and regulization.

Upon mapping mapping Mathare;  boundries and resource distribution in the community became evident and this was followed by meaningful discussions with how the community looks like and what is not there.

Local leaders, NGOs and community based groups were not left behind. The map has been become a source of inspiration and motivation to proper community development.  The disparities in allocation of resources by the politicians and local administration became evident and discussions ensued.

The power of people mapping their communities can no longer be ignored as it brings out the true picture of the community.

Thanks to Open Street Map, the underprivileged, invisible can now be corrected and made visible- Simon

Coming Soon

This blog is still under review and I will be soon making very informative briefs on Mathare Valley in general as we approach elections. simon

Blog Changes

To All Readers,

Kindly note that we are reorganizing the blog and we shall resume soon.

Simon

Children Using Space

Creating good a conducive environment for all to enjoy is the most challenging aspect in slum like Mathare. There are always huge piles of uncollected solid waste, broken sewers, use, noise pollution, limited space for children to exercise their right to play, lack of social amenities for the youth, no social halls or club house for elderly to meet and discussion about their own issues.

Despite all these, people still live and survive against all odds. The limited space available is shared amongst different groups. Like Huruma Sports Ground host various Christian crusades but it has produced some good and international soccer players while at the same provides bulk of players for street soccer in the Kenyan team.

On the other hand Mathare river host various socioeconomic activities despite high levels of pollutions. Various youth groups have managed to reclaim riparian land along the river and started urban farming activities. The good thing abour urban farming is that the youth do not use polluted river for irrigation.

Children make use of any available space to exercise their right play not caring much danger associated. It is common to find children playing next to a garbage hip or beside the river. – Simon

Using social Media to monitor government projects in mathare

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The government of Kenya is spending millions of shillings through constituency development fund and local authority transfer fund so as to improve the condition of its citizens in both formal and non formal areas here in Kenya but now these funds as now turned to be a swimming pool of money to some members of parliaments and some councilors to get rich quickly without struggling later leading millions of Kenyans to suffer and languish in poverty. That is why Map Mathare team and the experience gained in one of Plan international Kenya projects in Kwale County (YETAM) Youths empowerment through art and media we decided to conduct the same initiative here in mathare.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                But ours was done differently due to security reasons most of CDF and latf official are very influential and powerful people in the community so we decided to hide our faces. We have hosted a webpage which will be used as tool of evidence to both community and government representative to hold leaders accountable to their selfish deeds. The auditing report was drawn from CDF website Stareheand LAFT report was drawn from community members.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   During the auditing the results were shocking since most projects stalled, incomplete and the community members were only involved in the identification stages and later kicked out during the implementation processes for more information here is our findings please visit cdfandlatifstarehe.wordpress.com

Elections and Food Insecurity

Urban farming demonstration centre in Mathare funded by European Union

Mathare depends on mainly food transported from outside. This therefore means that if a small disruption occurs then outsider traders cannot access Mathare and sell their food. It also mean that people will not have enough food for survival.

Walking down the valley, there is very little efforts being put by either the government or NGOs to invest in food security. It is common knowledge that during the last election period, traders could not access market to sell their commodities. In one of the villages-Mathare 4B and Gitathuru in 2008, people resorted to breaking houses to steal food and not electronics equipments.

I remember when peace had return after post election violence many NGOs started initiative addressing food insecurity. Currently the most visible programmes on food security in Mathare is the one being led by COOPI where by vulnerable community members are given Kshs. 1500 for food per household. This has been going on close to one year.

Given that we are nearing elections in Kenya, it will be good for various actors to invest more on ensuring that there will be enough food in the market by exploring ways of creating community based silos to store food in vulnerable communities so as to avert food crises. Currently various parts of Rift Valley such Burnt Forest have bumper harvest on maize. From previous elections in Kenya, it is common knowledge that whenever we have elections, case of food insecurity has always been reported.

There can be no free and fair elections if people are hungry. Democracy and access to food and security will always go together. In urban centres it is even worse. Investing more in urban farming and food storage facilities would help avert previous cases of food insecurity before or after elections. – Simon

Urban IDPs, Forgotten Lot

Mabatini, Huruma Corner and Kiamaiko were some of the hot spots of 2008 post election violence in Mathare which resulted to setting up of a camp for internally displaced persons at Mathare chief’s camp. The IDPs were from Mathare 3c, Mabatini and Mashimoni areas.

Today former IDPs held a demonstration to protest what they term as a case of them being forgotten or neglected by the government and NGOs. One of the leader of IDPs from Mathare lamented that while in other areas (Rift Valley) IDPs had been resettled or their -plight addressed unlike those from urban areas like Mathare had been forgotten.

Most IDPs I interviewed expressed concern that ‘the IDPs from Rift Vallye are being favoured while those from Mathare have been forgotten’.

After the confirmation of ICC case, IDPs from Mathare felt that nobody was addressing their plight or compensation package. A woman who was part of the demonstration said ‘the ICC case has become more to do with Ruto and Uhuru than victims of post of election violence like us. The government has rushed to form a team to look into Uhuru and Muthaura’s case but not about the IDPs’. This motivated IDPs today to match to Marthare District Offices to seek audience over the matter of compensation. The previous space which was occupied by IDPS had now been turned into urban farming demonstration centre for the community to address food insecurity in Mathare. – Simon

Reaction to ICC

Before the announcement by the ICC on the fate of six Kenyans who have become famnous worldwide for wrong reason; there was tension allover. The Kenyan government did not take chances with possibility of insecurity. On 12th January 2012, I was in Eldama Ravine and I saw local police rehearsing on how manage a rowdy crowd. This looked good and made me feel safe.

Back in Mathare on the big day that the six guys were to know their fate…it was all system go. At Mathare Chief’s Camp, the local administration was ready to respond to any eventuality. I too went home late as I did not want to take a risk having witnessed 2008 post election violence.

Generally people were calm in Mathare and in some areas people were discussing in low tones. In one of the discussion I listened to, it was clear people could not understand how you could let a police free while report were there about police shooting. On the other hand some people questioned why not all cases were then referred to Kenya since it seems that we have a strong judicial system? – Simon

Where Animal Converge

Taking a walk down in Mathare Valley one will come across small traders selling all kind of food. The diverse menu available in various food kiosk is a reflection of how multi-ethnic the community is composed of. From maize, bean, vegetable and different types of meat and fish.

Most of the food is brought by both small and big traders. Investing in food, one will never go wrong as people have to eat everyday. However strolling around, one notices goat and sheep strolling and mingling with people freely and it seems that they have adapted to city life. Owners of this animals are local people who leave them to roam freely and look for food. Unfortunately the most convenient place to get food are the dump site found in the community since all kind of organic waste are found. This is the only place pigs, goats, chickens and dogs converge for meal. There is no fighting but scavenging for food and concentration of the highest level. – Simon

MATHARE 2012 PERSPECTIVE

2012 will not be an ordinary year for Mathare residents. There is boundary review and the forth coming general elections. This will change overall power relation between the people and local administration. We shall also witness emergence of new leaders; will they follow and be guided by the constitution? let us wait and see. A place like Huruma will now be divided into two if the proposal goes through.

There will be need for the government to invest more in health, road, sewer, security, education and stimulating local economy. Chang’aa has been legalized, how will the local leadership transform this sector from informal to formal industry? How will the local community monitor and hold its leaders accountable. These are only but a few issues that must be addressed in Mathare.

Civic education forums needs to be established if we are to avoid post election violence as witnessed in 2007/2008.

The good news that has come out of the boundary review is the mention of approximate population of Mathare which according to Independent Electrol and Boundary Commission (IEBC) is as follows

Proposed Mathare Constituency
Mlango Kubwa- ward	20463
Mabatini – ward	48723
Huruma A – ward	36248
Huruma B – ward	36247
Kiamaiko – ward	33824
	175,505

Previously people estimated the population. Now it is upon Mathare residents to appear before the commission and share their view regarding the boundary. It is these views that will help shape a better Mathare.-Simon