Research Overview
Nairobi’s rapid urbanization, inadequate housing, and weak infrastructure are concentrated in informal areas, where climate risks, such as heat and flooding, hit hardest. Over 60% of Nairobi’s population lives in informal settlements occupying less than 10% of land, underscoring deep inequality. Led by teams at the Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), the focus of work in Nairobi will be in Kibera and Mukuru, both of which are large informal settlements facing heat stress and flooding as key issues.
Kibera, often cited as Africa’s largest informal settlement, houses 170,000–250,000 people within about 2.5 km². It sits on hilly terrain along the Nairobi River basin.
Originating in the early 20th century when Nubian soldiers were settled by the British, Kibera expanded over decades without formal recognition. Land rights remain contested.
Kibera faces frequent flooding, fires, poor waste management, and high disease prevalence. Upgrading efforts like the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme have had mixed results, with community-led action remaining central. Chronic flooding and poor services worsen health and safety risks.
Mukuru is among Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, spanning over 650 acres near the city’s industrial area and along the Ngong River. Low-lying terrain and poor drainage make it highly flood-prone. Emerging in the 1980s–1990s as workers’ housing, Mukuru grew rapidly under informal tenure systems. Overcrowding, poor sanitation, insecure tenure, and high health burdens persist in Mukuru. The 2017 declaration of Mukuru as a Special Planning Area (SPA) created opportunities for integrated upgrading, though progress is uneven. Flooding and heat stress are key issues, intensified by corrugated iron housing and encroachment on riparian zones, as well as inadequate flood infrastructure.
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