The Effectiveness of Slum Upgrades to Reduce Housing Inequality: A Case Study of Kibera Slum

Kenya has over the last few years experienced a rapid increase in population especially in the urban areas. A majority of the population is situated in the urban areas and mostly in the slum sector, with this in mind the government of Kenya under the leadership of His Excellency Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta. On 12th December 2017, announced his new plan, the ‘Big Four’, which will guide the development agenda of the country in the period 2018-2022. It focuses on key basic needs that are critical in uplifting the standard of living of Kenyans on the path to becoming an upper middle-income country by 2030. Prioritized is affordable and decent housing, affordable healthcare, food and nutritional security, and employment creation through manufacturing. These four areas are expected to bolster strong inclusive economic growth. With the Housing Agenda in mind, it’s important to note over 70 % of urban households in Kenya experience severe housing affordability challenges. Affordability problems are manifested in the high levels of homelessness, poor human settlement conditions, and high price of housing relative to the incomes of households, mortgage delinquencies, defaults and foreclosures. This study was an assessment of the Housing Agenda to Reduce Inequality in Kenya. The specific objectives of this study were to determine the factors leading to housing inequality in Kenya, to determine ways to reduce housing inequalities in Kenya and to assess how different income levels influence the quality of housing in Kenya.