A NEGOTIATED COMMUNITY LED APPROACH TO

SETTLEMENT UPGRADING IN KOSOVO

Planning Report
Pamoja Trust, University of Nairobi,
University of California Berkeley
Contents 3.1.2 State of Environmental pollution ...................................18
ABSTRACT.................................................................................... 4 3.2 Environmental restoration concepts ........................................19
POLICY CONTEXT ......................................................................... 5 3.2.1 Community forums output on environmental
BROAD OBJECTIVE ....................................................................... 5 management .........................................................................19

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES ................................................................... 5 3.2.2 Concept of adaptable buffer zone .................................19

COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS ......................................... 5 3.2.3 Defining land uses within riparian reserve .....................20

1.0 METHODOLOGY ..................................................................... 6 3.2.4 Provision of liquid and solid waste handling infrastructure
..............................................................................................23
1.1 Information Collection ....................................................... 7
3.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE UTILITIES ............................24
1.2 Community Participation ................................................... 7
3.3.1 Storm and household waste Water Drainage
1.3 Guiding Principles for Integrated Approach ........................ 8
Infrastructure.........................................................................24
1.4 CASE STUDY ......................................................................... 10
3.3.2 Water and water supply Infrastructure ..........................24
1.4.1 Mankong (‘secure housing’) programme-Thailand ........ 10
3.3.3 ENERGY SUPPLY.............................................................26
1.4.2 Case of Land Purchase and re-blocking: Charoenchai
3.3.4 ROAD NETWORK AND TRANSPORT IN KOSOVO .............27
Nimitmai................................................................................ 11
3.4 COMMUNITY SERVICE ..........................................................29
1.4.3 Kambi Moto Settlement – Kenya ....................................... 12
3.4.1 Educational Facilities .....................................................29
2.0 KOSOVO SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS.............................................. 13
3.4.2 Health Services ..............................................................30
2.1 Background to the study area .............................................. 13
3.5 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES .........................................................31
2.2 Scope of neighborhood plan ................................................ 13
3.5.1 Economic Development Concepts .................................33
2.3 Physical environment of Kosovo........................................... 15
3.6 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR
2.4 Population Characteristics ................................................... 16
KOSOVO SETTLEMENT ...............................................................34
3.0 PLANNING ISSUES .................................................................... 17
3.7 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MODELS .........................36
3.1 ENVIRONMENT .................................................................... 17
3.8 LAND BUDGET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT 1..................40
3.1.1 Emerging Issues ............................................................ 18
3.8.1 Land requirements ........................................................40

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 3.8.2 Road network ............................................................... 40
3.8.3 Water Supply ................................................................ 41
3.8.4 Solid waste management .............................................. 41
3.8.5 Storm Water Reticulation .............................................. 41
3.8.6 Open air market ............................................................ 42
3.9 LAND BUDGET AND RATIONALE FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
LAYOUT 2 .................................................................................. 43
3.9.1 Road Networks.............................................................. 43
3.9.2 Land Requirements ....................................................... 43
3.9.3 Water Supply ................................................................ 43
3.9.4 Waste/Garbage Management ....................................... 43
3.9.5 Storm Water Drainage .................................................. 44
3.9.6 Open Air Market/Jua Kali Shed ...................................... 44
3.10 SUMMARY CONDITIONS WITHIN KOSOVO ......................... 45
3.11 HOUSING ........................................................................... 46
3.11.1 House Ownership ........................................................ 46
3.12 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR KOSOVO
SETTLEMENT ............................................................................. 49
3.13 LAND TENURE .................................................................... 52
3.14 INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNANCE ..................................... 53
4.0 STRATEGIES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF
KOSOVO ........................................................................................ 55
5.0 STRATEGIC ACTIONS ................................................................ 57

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ABSTRACT
The residents of Kosovo in Mathare have taken it upon themselves
to improve their living conditions by way of settlement planning. In
a joint collaboration between the University of Nairobi’s
Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP), the University
of California Berkeley 9UCB) and Pamoja Trust (PT), the residents
embarked on developing an integrated neighborhood plan for
Kosovo village one of the informal settlements within Mathare
Valley.

The idea of partnership is driven by harnessing expertise in the both

global and local for technical, organizational and managerial skills.
Through the partnership, the community was able to undertake
enumerations, mapping and mobilization which were then analyzed
and verified through organized planning forums, discussions and Guiding Objectives
planning sessions.

The document contains a clear assessment of the settlement, the

existing conditions of infrastructure and service utilities,
environment with an emphasis on the river and its riparian,
economic activities, institutional and social organization framework
and housing.

To a great extent, the level of success of the process can be

attributed to the level of community “leading” and engagement in
the planning process. This has enabled the process of planning
endear itself amongst residents and enhanced community
ownership of its outcomes.

4
POLICY CONTEXT
Kenya Vision 2030 aims to provide the country’s population with
adequate and decent housing in a sustainable environment. It
clearly states that improvement of the quality of life of all Kenyans –
the supreme goal of Vision 2030 – cannot come about if large
sections of the rural and urban population are inadequately housed.
The vision states that at present, the Kenyan urban housing sector is
characterized by large urban slums with no proper sanitation and
which houses 60 per cent of urban population. Also, United Nations
Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and the World Bank
jointly launched the Cities alliance in Berlin. They established it to
help developing countries grapple with two significant challenges –
the growth of slums and the long-term health of their large and
small cities. The first endeavor of the cities alliance was to prepare
the cities without slums action plan. The plan was subsequently
incorporated as target 11 within the millennium development goals.
It is in this context and other policy documents such as Sessional
paper No. 6 on Environment and Development (1999) which
focused on ways of ensuring sustainable relationship between
human settlement and the environment; Millennium development
Goals which has greatly informed the principles guiding the
restoration and rehabilitation of the Nairobi rivers (Goal 7; Ensuring
Environmental Sustainability); National Housing Development
programme (2003-2007) which recognizes slums as areas with poor
housing and areas that need intervention; Private Public
Partnerships and a review of infrastructural standards to enable
access to poor neighborhoods that the Kosovo Integrated
Neighbourhood Plan has been prepared.
BROAD OBJECTIVE
The broad objective of the project was prepare an integrated
neighborhood plan for Kosovo Settlement together with the
community as a basis for infrastructure and housing development,
sustainable riparian reserve restoration and conservation,
community empowerment and to guide the planning process in
other settlement within the Mathare River valley.
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
v Improve living conditions & livelihoods within Kosovo
v Promote a healthy riparian environment
v Minimize relocation of current residents
v Facilitate a participatory planning process
v Integrate housing and infrastructure
v Anticipating for future populations
COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIPS
In order to ensure greater impact and efficiency in preparation of
the plan, there was need to develop partnerships and forge for
collaboration. This plan is the combined effort of the University of
Nairobi, University of California, Berkeley, and Pamoja Trust and has
also been developed in partnership with the City Council of Nairobi,
Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, Physical Planning
Department in the Ministry of Land and the Community.

5
1.0 METHODOLOGY
The preparation of Kosovo slum upgrading neighborhood plan Table2: Model of Participation

focused in involving the local community in the planning and Partnership • Community
management of its surrounding. The plan also approached • University of Nairobi
• Pamoja Trust – facilitator
active community participation as the most viable way through • Nairobi City Council
which the residents can get the upgrading they want. Through • Nairobi Water and Sewerage
Company
focused group discussion, community dreaming forums and • Ministry of Environment
community lead discussions, the process became useful in • NEMA
• Others
establishing social problems and dynamics, challenges and Initiation • Pamoja Trust and other participating
problems and even possible solutions such as housing models institutions and community jointly
initiate action
and infrastructure layout models. • Enumerations
• Mapping
Table 1: Participation Forums • Collection of social data
Process Partnership established with planning
Event Place Purpose institutions (UoN & UCB)
Stakeholders’ Kivi Hotel Discussion with Planning process participating institutions jointly with
meeting Milimani stakeholders community plan and design for the
Community St.Benedict Community settlement
reflection meeting dreaming Presentation participating planning institutions jointly
commenced with community present the alternative
A series of Community Hall Consensus building development models to authorities,
community community and other stakeholders
meeting Implementation facilitating institution , authorities and
Integrated forum St. Teresa Presentation and community carry out implementation
with key brainstorming on Maintenance Authorities & community jointly maintain
stakeholders the way forward
present

6
1.1 Information Collection
The primary source of information regarding Kosovo settlement was
obtained from transects survey across the settlement. Further
information was obtained by interviewing the residents and from
enumeration data collected by Pamoja Trust together with the
residents. This data enable in providing the approximate population
and demographic characteristic of the settlement. It also facilitated
in providing information about the level of services and conditions
of infrastructure.
Transect walk within the settlement
community mapping (participatory GIS) and in the dreaming
process. Community dreaming involved the creation of possible
development scenarios and ideas of new housing development,
community facilities, infrastructure, utilities and their possible
layouts. In the scenario building, future beneficiaries are identified
in advance. They may be structure-owners or tenants. The various
options presented from the community dreaming process were
then discussed in brainstorming sessions by the planning team and
the problems and challenges identified. These were then presented
in their refined format to the community for further critique,
increment or subtraction of issues depending on the realization of
underlying facts. The planning team basically acted as moderators
and guiders of the planning process but the real thinking on what is
best was left in the hands of the residents.

Community Dreams on Housing

Partner roles

UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI and

PAMOJA TRUST
Overall Coordination
Financing the planning
Source: filed photo 04/08/2009
process
1.2 Community Participation Avail the necessary data and
surveys done in the area.
Community participation is one of the key ingredients used in the
Network with partners and
development of Kosovo plan. Participation was the heart that stakeholders.
pumped the project to completion. Major areas that highly Identification and
welcomed participation include the enumeration process, organization of target groups
Mobilize stakeholder forums
UC, BERKELEY
Avail personnel for the
assignment.
Undertake data collection and
analysis
Facilitate stakeholder Forums
Provide technical assistance in
the development of the plan.
Liaise and work with other
partners and the community
in the development of the
plan.

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 1.3 Guiding Principles for Integrated Approach
Principles guiding
community
participation
Open to All Ideas

Inclusive and Diverse

Open Mind, Open

Process

Many People

Open and publisized

INFORMAL SETTLEMENT UPGRADING IS ABOUT MORE THAN

ERADICATING SHACKS

• Restoration of a river such as Mathare River passing through

Participating communities succeed better
than those that only pay lip service to this
important principle.
Informal settlement is not about eradicating shacks (evictions). It is
about an integrated approach to development aimed at addressing
underlying poverty issues.
• There is need to be a range of complementary social, economic
and physical development programmes; social and economic
development programmes should not be an add-on to physical
development programmes.

UNDERSTAND INFORMAL SETTLEMENT COMMUNITIES

8
• In order to be able to undertake integrated development with basic services, in order to pre-empt the formation of new
interventions, it is important to have reliable and up-to-date informal settlements.
information about the community, e.g. about affordability levels
and the feasibility of the community positive involvement.

• Sustainable livelihoods assessments are a way of gaining a better

understanding of informal processes and people’s everyday lives GOVERNMENT
REPRESENTATI
REAL COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL VES, LOCAL
LEADERS

• The key lesson that can be learned from international good

practice is that real community participation by committees
representing beneficiaries is essential, at all levels from strategy MUUNGANO PLANNING
level down to project implementation level; participation in YA INSTITUTION
WANAVIJIJI INTEGRATE S
allocation processes, layout design is particularly important when it D
comes from the people of all ages. COMMUNIT
Y
NEIGHBOR
• Capacity building, both on leadership skills and technical HOOD PLAN
knowledge, is a prerequisite for successful community participation.
YOUTH
INFORMAL SETTLEMENT UPGRADING MUST ALWAYS BE PART OF AN GROUPS, WO
MEN'S
INTEGRATED HOUSING STRATEGY GROUPS, CHU LOCAL
RCH RESIDENTS
ORGANIZATIO
• Informal settlement upgrading always needs to be part of an NS, NGO'S
AND CBO'S
integrated housing strategy that includes a range of delivery options
to meet different housing needs and that has clear resource
allocations and time frames.

• An integrated housing strategy needs to include a managed land

settlement strategy, in which people can get rapid access to land

9
A Stakeholder forum at St. Teresa
Source: Field Photo 13/08/2009
1.4 CASE STUDY
1.4.1 Mankong (‘secure housing’) programme-Thailand
Implementing agency: Community Organizations Development
Institute [CODI]
‘Baan Mankong’ is a national programme for upgrading and secure
tenure for the urban poor, slums and squatters, in Thailand’s cities.
It is set up to support processes designed and managed by low-
income households and their community organizations and
networks that work with other stakeholders like local governments,
government agencies, professionals, universities and NGOs to
survey slums and squatters and finally plan an upgrading
programme to improve living conditions. The programme also
builds on what slum communities have already developed,
10
appreciating the large investments that the communities have
already made in their homes.
Characteristics of the programme
• The community organizations and their networks are the key
actors and control the funding and the management;
• They also undertake most of the building.
• It is demand driven as it supports communities who are ready
to implement improvement projects and allows a great variety
of responses, tailored to each community’s needs, priorities
and possibilities
• It promotes more than physical upgrading; as communities
design and manage their own physical improvements, this
helps stimulate deeper but less tangible changes in social
structures, managerial systems and confidence among poor
communities.
• It also helps trigger acceptance of low-income communities in
the city’s larger development process as legitimate parts of the
city and as partners
• It works to develop urban poor communities as an integrated
part of city; people plan their upgrading within the bigger city
development framework.
• Government agencies are no longer the planners,
implementers and construction manager delivering for
beneficiaries.
• Secure tenure is negotiated in each instance but locally – and
this could be through a variety of means such as cooperative
land purchase, long-term lease contracts, land swaps or user
rights.
1.4.2 Case of Land Purchase and re-blocking: Charoenchai After Re-blocking
Nimitmai
A community of 41 families negotiated to purchase the rented land
they hadsettled on from the owner. They established a co-operative
and took a CODIloan to pay for this. A re-blocking plan was
developed in order to bring downthe cost per family. This plan
facilitated accommodation of 48 more familieswho were squatting
nearby. The lay-out of the settlement constituted internallanes, a
community centre and a range of plot sizes (and plot costs). All but
15 houses had to be moved to new locations to pave way for roads.
Housing units were built using material from their previous houses, Community of 41
families on 2 acre
and these were set for upgrading gradually. Agreements negotiated
of land. After facing
with different municipal departments brought individual electricity
eviction, community
and water connections and building permits. The community organized to
handled most of the work using paid community labour but a negotiate and
contractor was hired for the infrastructure that needed heavy purchases existing
machinery. This cut development costs by 30 percent. land from private
landlord taking loan
Before development from CODI under
the community
cooperatives. Then
plan and reblock
the old community.

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1.4.3 Kambi Moto Settlement – Kenya
Kambi Moto was established in 1975 as a market for vegetables and
charcoal within an NCC estate. The upgrading of the settlement has
followed a community led approach which has seen the
establishment of 270 housing units, of which 62 have already been
built and occupied in two phases. A third phase of 30 units is almost
complete. The population density in Kambi Motto is quite high.
Therefore, upgrading initiatives can build on existing social
networks and support systems.

Reflecting the households’ different financial means, house

construction has been incremental and tailored to their ability to
pay. For those with little savings, ground-floor units have been built,
whilst households with greater resources occupy ground-floor-plus-
one units; in some cases, ground-floor-plus-two-stories have been
completed.

Upgraded layout of Kambi -Moto

12
 Berkeley University and Pamoja Trust. Other major stakeholders
2.0 KOSOVO SETTLEMENT include the NCC, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources
and Non-Governmental Organizations. The overall goal of the plan is
ANALYSIS to arrive at an integrated and sustainable neighborhood
development of informal settlements within the Nairobi river
2.1 Background to the study area
riparian reserve.
Mathare Valley was once owned by Asians before independence
and is made up of several villages. The development of these
villages dates back to 1921. The different villages accommodated Image: Kosovo, Mathare 4b, Mashimoni and Mabatini
150 huts which were demolished in 1954. The Kosovo people
initially stayed in Mathare village 2, originally referred to as Kwa
Matinga. Around 1976, the residents formed a society to raise funds
to purchase and divide out the land they were occupying. Members
of the Muslim community raised funds and purchased part of the
land in village 2B on which the Muslim centre is built. Village 2A was
taken up by the Catholic Church which built St. Teresa’s school. The
lower part of the land remained occupied by slum residents, but
due to the security threats that it posed to the school, the residents
were evicted to let the school own the whole land area. Frequent
eviction notices were given in 1980s but the residents held on to the
land as they had nowhere to go.

2.2 Scope of neighborhood plan

The neighborhood plan covers Kosovo village within Mathare
informal settlement and which is made up of a total of 3,005
structures in 10 clusters. The plan also makes reference to adjacent
settlements such as Mabatini, Mathare 4b and Mashimoni. It is also
informed by spatial, socio-economic and political aspects of the
settlement and has been prepared through community engagement
or participatory approach spearheaded by the Department of Urban
and Regional Planning, University of Nairobi, University of California
Location of Kosovo settlement
Kosovo settlement forms a significant part of the Mathare slums
found within Nairobi, Kenya. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that
the settlement is located along a river valley. To the west, the
settlement borders Mathare Mental Hospital and steeply slopes
into the Mathare River to the south. It also borders village 2,
Kiamutesya and Bondeni to the south of the river. To the north,
it borders village 4.

13
Mathare 4B Kosovo Settlement

Mabatini

Mashimoni

14
2.3 Physical environment of Kosovo
The topography of the settlement slopes relatively steeply
southwards into the river. The rocks forming the geological system Plate: the settlement was once a quarry and is made of
rocky outcrop
of Kosovo are phonolite and tuff. The tuff has been largely extracted
due to quarrying activities in the late 1990s.

Plate: the land generally slopes southwards

Plate: illustration of a cross section of the settlement

15
2.4 Population Characteristics
According to the 1999 population census, Mathare division had a
total population of 69,003 people giving an average density of
46,002 persons per square kilometer. This population was
comprised of 24,525 households with an average household
number of 3 persons. As per the 1999 census, the population
composition of Mathare was 39,737 (57.59%) males and 29,266
(42.41%) females.
In total, Kosovo has 10 clusters starting from A to I. The
enumeration done by Pamoja Trust indicates a population of 6500
persons
The settlement is divided into ten clusters that developed from the
west towards the east. There is a tendency of ethnic enclaves in the
settlement. The youth (18-40 years) compose the largest segment
of the population with 84% of the population consisting of tenants
as opposed to owners. Illegal brewery along the river is a major
source of livelihood for the local community. Generally, the
population is poor, with incomes of less than a dollar a day. The
settlement has been known to harbor the infamous Mungiki sect.
16
Kosovo Neighborhood Profile
Demographics
Total Population: 7,200
About 57% male, 43% female
Employment: 25% are unemployed.
Health conditions: Waterborne diseases are the most common:
Malaria, cholera, and dysentery.
Household Structure
Ownership status: 15% owner-occupied, 85% tenants
Size: 1 person (40%), 2 people (20%), 3 people (15%), 4+ people
(24%)
Housing
Building & Infrastructure Conditions
Structure materials: 35% are iron sheet and wood with a cement
floor, an additional 50% are iron sheets without the cement floor, 6%
are brick/block houses, and 7% are mud houses.
Water: 86% do not have a toilet in their homes, and 81% pay for
water. The majority of residents pays for communal toilets or
employs the “flying toilets” approach.
Waste disposal: 69% say they dispose of waste in the river.
Electricity: 68% of households do not have electricity. A majority
use charcoal and paraffin as fuel (53% and 43%, respectively) but a
small percentage of households also use electricity, gas, wood, or
other types of fuels.
 3.1 ENVIRONMENT
3.0 PLANNING ISSUES
Planning issues are usually far ranging and may differ from one
informal settlement to another. It is also typical for most of informal
settlements to display the same kind of problems. In the context of
Kosovo, the key planning issues have been categorized in to four
broad areas which are:

• Environment
• Infrastructure and utilities
• Community services and socio-economic activities
• Housing and
• Institutions

These issues have been generated from surveys within the

settlement but are only a small part of what informs the planning
process. Unlike other upgrading processes which after collecting
data from the settlement the programs are developed on the
desktop, the planning process generated possible mitigations from
the community itself. The program also distinguishes itself from
other interventions by promoting more than just physical housing
and infrastructure upgrades; it also builds on the social cohesion of
the residents
Kosovo is situated adjacent to the Mathare River which forms part
of the Nairobi River Basin. Currently about 400 structures are
located within the Government demarcated riparian buffer of 30m.
This reflects a population of 960. Along the river passes the trunk
sewer line which is not connected to the settlement.
The river along this part is dead due to upriver pollution, adjacent
pollution and pollution within the Riparian reserve. Pollution from
Kosovo settlement onto the river is mainly from liquid waste
disposal, solid waste disposal and erosion. Relocation of residents
on the riparian alone will not protect the river from pollution unless
other pollution sources are addressed.

17
3.1.1 Emerging Issues Image: major points of pollution within Kosovo settlement; yellow
There is low sense of ownership of the reserve which is evident line represents the 30 meter buffer line
by the high level of riparian pollution and the overall
environment.
There is high level of encroachment into the river reserve with
an approximate population of over 900 persons living along the
riparian within Kosovo.
Lack of primary infrastructure that enhances clean and safe
environment. This includes sewer line, storm water drainage
and solid waste disposal systems.
Steep topography which slopes into the river encourages
draining of waste water into the river from the households.
Strom water washes dirt from the settlement into the river.

3.1.2 State of Environmental pollution

The major case for the overall Kosovo environment is uncontrolled Plate: Toilets draining raw waste into the River
pollution. Within the built area, there is indiscriminate disposal of
both liquid and solid waste. Poor drainage and lack of waste
handling infrastructure has caused adverse environmental pollution.
Major causes of environmental pollution include:

• Air and water pollution

• Poor solid waste management systems
• Blocked drainages
• Indiscriminate dumping of waste
• Sewer drainage from far estates
• Discharge of effluent into the river
• Acute riparian and river pollution

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3.2 Environmental restoration concepts
An adapted water front
To address the issue of adverse environmental pollution within the
settlement, the planning team observed that there is urgent need of
providing basic waste handling infrastructure for the settlement.
3.2.1 Community forums output on environmental
management
Solid waste handling equipments
Vehicle accessible waste collection points
Proper waste water drainage facilities including a functioning
sewer line
Addressing the issue of relocation of households within the 30
meter riparian reserve
Rehabilitation of citywide sewer infrastructure
19
3.2.2 Concept of adaptable buffer zone
The Nairobi River Clean up Project has proposed a 30 m setback
applied to the Nairobi River and which will affect settlement areas
such as Kosovo. This would involve a massive displacement of
residents. For sustainable restoration of the river to be achieved,
the residents must be involved in both the restoration and
maintenance of the riparian system. To reduce massive
displacement of the residents, an adaptable buffer may be the most
appropriate option.
Image: compared to the 30 meter buffer, the adapted buffer will
cause less displacement
Why adaptable Buffer?
- Steep terrain which provides most logical calculation for a
reduced buffer
- Minimization of eviction
- Adaptable zone encourages community participation in the
conservation of the remaining open space and possibly
change the attitude towards the riparian – from a back yard
to front yard
 - Geology of settlement limits on utilization of the zone for tree
planting
Case of Land uses for Riparian
3.2.3 Defining land uses within riparian reserve
One of the major concerns of the plan was to come up with possible TRAILS:The Floating Gardens ; Taizhou City,
land uses that are compatible with the riparian reserve. The aim is china
to avoid both existences of empty open spaces which later turn out
to be dumpsites and also to avoid colonization of such spaces by
individual households. Among the strategies is to make household
face the river and avoid uses that tend to bring the aspect of
ownership of spaces.

Simulation of a rehabilitated and adapted riparian; Kosovo

Community Public open space; Singapore City

20
21
22
3.2.4 Provision of liquid and solid waste handling management waste and litter waste disposal
infrastructure Blockage of the drain points and proper
Another key aspect towards a well maintained environment was systems access road to points
provision of waste handling infrastructure. This will address the Un designated
problems of poor solid waste disposal, waste water drainage, air dumping places
within the
pollution as a result or whiff from rotting garbage and human
settlements
waste. This should be addressed at two levels:- Poor sanitation and Open drainage Provision of sanitary
drainage system systems facilities at house
Citywide rehabilitation of sewer lines.
Poorly maintained level
At the settlement level which include provision of waste disposal drains (blockage) and drainage
points and collection points and accessibility of the points both Open toilets along facilities e.g. culverts
at household level and by garbage collection trucks. the sewer line and Good management
the river and maintenance of
To adequately address the problem of waste management, Direct sewer to the the
Infrastructural and service utilities have to be provided for. river sanitation and
drainage facilities
Summary of proposed Environmental solutions Air pollution Rotting garbage City wide cleaning of
Open sewer and river
Key issue Problem Proposed solution human effluent Proper handling of
River pollution Direct effluents from City wide Dead river solid waste
neighbouring rehabilitation of Closed sewer system
settlement waste handling infra Community cleanups
Direct waste water Proper drainage
from the settlement within settlement
Flush toilets from Provision of waste
the settlement disposal points
Solid waste disposal Proper access roads
at the river
Strom water
washing into the
river

Poor solid waste Scattered solid Designated solid

23
3.3 INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE UTILITIES
The analysis of the settlement indicates that the settlement is still
lacking some very basic infrastructure which includes well drained
roads, sewer reticulation, proper power reticulation, proper water
reticulation, waste management system, and storm water drainage
system.
3.3.1 Storm and household waste Water Drainage
Infrastructure
The settlement does not have any form of storm and household
waste water management system. The topography of the area
indicates that all water drains into the river carrying the waste from
the settlement along with it.
24
Key issues:
• Lack of storm water drains along the roads and building
pavements
• Soil erosion as a result of steep slope
• Household waste including human waste drain in open channels
into the river
3.3.2 Water and water supply Infrastructure
There is adequate water supply within the settlement and water is
provided through public water points and at individual connection
level by Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company. The water pipes are
laid along the paths while the main water connection is along the
main road at the upper part of the settlement.
Key issues:
• Lack of proper water supply layout
• Few public water points
• Lack of proper drainage results in runoff of waste water into
the river
• Water supply pipes laid along waste water drainage channel
resulting to contamination of water
Layout of water supply infrastructure within Kosovo

Pipe layout connecting to individual household is also not well protected and there is high risk of
water contaminations through bust pipes which freely mix with waste water. Another complex
issue is the issue of servicing the whole community at household level with piped water which will
be necessary if public toilets are to be replaced by household flush toilets. This will imply
numerous pipes will be laid down. Since the financial capacity of the residents vary, the most
viable method of supply may remain as stand pipes at water kiosk. There is also the problem of
illegal tapping of water. The numerous pipes easily fall prey to illegal tapping since monitoring is a
problem.

The Nairobi water and Sewerage Company is the main stakeholder in the provision of water
related services within the settlement.

25
3.3.3 ENERGY SUPPLY
The settlement is serviced by electricity. About 100 percent of the
Plate: power reticulation within the settlement
residents use electricity for lighting. The supply is on the three-
phase mode which is the most common method used by electric
power distribution grids worldwide to distribute power; A three-
phase system is generally more economical than others because it
uses less conductor material to transmit electric power than
equivalent single-phase or two-phase systems at the same voltage.

Key issues:
• Poor layout of power lines
• Illegal tapping of electricity
• Placement of electric poles right in the middle of lanes

26
3.3.4 ROAD NETWORK AND TRANSPORT IN KOSOVO the slum buildings that connects to the main spine that
separates Cluster A and B of the Kosovo settlement.
Within Kosovo there are both main spines that separate the 10
clusters and the residential paths that form a network between
the buildings of the settlements. The main spine that separates
cluster A and B has a 9 metre width which has been rampantly
encroached into by developments but is a very busy pedestrian
route. The other spines that separate the other clusters have 6
metre widths and the residential paths within the settlement
have widths which are narrow and as low as 1 metre. Other
road and transport related infrastructure such as bridges are
also in poor conditions.

Key issues:

The settlement can be accessed by the use of two major Poor conditions of access roads
transport routes. From the city centre it is accessible by use of Lack of Motorable connection to Juja Road
the Juja road; it is also possible to get to Kosovo by the use of Encroachment of road spaces
the Thika highway. Thika highway is a 4 lane transport Narrow access streets
carriageway and it is connected to Kosovo by a dual carriage Poor drainage along the roads and pathways
way route which is not all weather and with a width of 6 metres
complemented with a road reserve of 3 metres on both of its
sides. Developments towards the north of Kosovo settlement
have encroached on the reserve of the 6 metre width road.
These are especially commercial activities that are run by the
people in the settlement.
Juja road is a dual carriage way transport route. From Juja
road, Kosovo is accessed by the use of narrow paths between

27
 Poor access lanes that doubles up as
Plate: foot bridge within the settlement drainage

During the first allocation of plots within Kosovo, sufficient

spaces for road and streets was provided; even the 30
meter riparian reserve was provide. This however, has
been encroached over time leaving only small spaces
between buildings/structures
Solid waste dumping on access roads

Space between structures serve as clothy drying

area

28
 Existing road layout of Kosovo
3.4 COMMUNITY SERVICE
Settlements have diverse range of needs which gives rise to a high
demand for community facilities for general use, including statutory
services provision, educational functions, recreational and also to
meet the needs of a wide range of voluntary sector, particularly
ethnic and religious groups.
3.4.1 Educational Facilities
Educational facilities provision relates to the access and availability
of educational facilities for the dwellers of the Kosovo settlement.
29
The concern is therefore based on the number of pre-primary,
primary and secondary schools within the settlement and their
capacity and adequacy in meeting the demands of the settlement.
There are educational facilities found both within the settlement
and in the neighbourhood context of the settlement. Within the
settlement there are pre-primary and primary school facilities only.
The demand for secondary education is met at the neighbourhood
context of the settlement.
There exist 5 pre-primary educational facilities in Kosovo out of
these there are three which exist independently whereas the other
two are supported by the two primary schools that are available in
the settlement.
Pre-Primary and Primary Schools in Kosovo
 Outreach hope (pre-primary and lower primary)
Lea baby class and nursery (pre-primary)
Ramfield academy (pre-primary)
Muthaiga church of Christ (pre-primary)
Salvation army(pre-primary and primary)
The secondary schools within the neighbourhood include Saint
Teresa and Gitathuru secondary schools. There are also two primary
schools that are found in Mathare 4B which are accessible to the
dwellers of Kosovo. In Bondeni there is the Kiboro primary school
which serves the settlement.
Image: existing community facilities including social and religious halls
30
3.4.2 Health Services
The Kosovo settlement has only six clinics which are accessible to
the households for preventive health and first aid services; all these
are provided by the private sector. There is a problem of
accessibility to the clinics especially by vehicles, due to narrow
roads and commercial activities along the roads.
Key issues:
• Risky health care practices such as purchase of over the counter
medication
• Inadequate health care facilities
• Not getting care in a timely manner
3.5 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES Most trading activities are concentrated along the spine between
cluster A and B of the settlement and range from food joints, bars,
social spaces and kiosks among others.

Key issues:
• Poor road conditions along major trading areas
• Poor sanitation
• Riparian and river pollution by livestock
• Poor spatial organization of business activities
• Concentration of economic activities along one spine

Along major streets, most units serve as commercial areas

Small scale informal businesses constitute the bulk of the

commercial sector within Kosovo. The settlement is supported by
both various economic activities and a working population within
and beyond. These include the following:

• Crop farming along the riparian reserve

• Livestock rearing along the riparian reserve
• Trading activities; kiosks, vegetable vending, butcheries,
bars and hotels and outdoor food points, water vending
with incorporation of toilets and bathroom services among
others.
• Informal and formal employment

31
32
3.5.1 Economic Development Concepts Industrial activities Welding, carpentry, Introducing a waste
Economic activities are activities that aim at production, processing, construction, sorting point
packaging, selling, distribution, purchase and consumption of goods mechanics and Training on waste
and services as well as money and wealth with a view to fulfilling waste recycling investment
Improvement of
some wants/ needs on commercial or self-reliance basis. An
primary
economic activity involves the use of scarce resources in the
infrastructure such
provision of goods to satisfy unlimited wants. In the modern social as roads
scheme of things, these activities rotate around the financial axis Jua Kali shed within
and that is why they involve income generation and expenditure. the open market
Within the settlement, such activities should be enhanced. The Agricultural Livestock and crop Designing
major economic activites of adress include:- activities farming along the compatible land uses
river along the riparian
• Commercial activities Proper livestock
keeping that will not
• Industrial activities
conflict with the
• Agro-based activities river

Sector Activity Strategies Perspective of a riparian

Commercial kiosks, vegetable Introducing another that has been adapted
activities vending, butcheries, business spine to
and utilized for
bars and hotels and decongest the spine
outdoor food points, between cluster A commercial tree nursery
and water vending and B planting; the buildings
with incorporation Community training have also been oriented
of toilets and on viable economic to the direction of the
bathroom services activities river. The space also
among others Introducing an open serves as a recreational
market
area.
Investment in waste
management areas
by youths and other
groups
NB: Infrastructure Layout Option 1 indicates the proposed new
market street

33
3.6 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR KOSOVO SETTLEMENT
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE SETTLEMENT ANALYSIS DEVELOPMENT CONCEPTS GENERATED FROM
UTILITIES COMMUNITY FORUMS
WATER AND WATER SUPPLY • Individual household connections have
INFRASTRUCTURE already been done but haphazardly • Network of pipes should generally follow street
• Provision of adequate • Current water point is not centrally located networks
drainage of waste water and • Area slopes steeply southwards • Sufficient depth should be provided to avoid
proper reticulation of piped • Reorganization of street layout will determine damage of pipes
water for the settlement the pipe layout or pipe layout will determine • Topography should be considered in respect to
street layout pressure and supply
ROADS and Transport
Infrastructure • Existing networks are less that the required - Access roads should be provided within the
• Proper designs and standards settlement
construction of the road • Existing networks do not provide sufficient - The roads provided should follow the initial layout
• Rehabilitation of road spaces access to dwellings that had been provided during the initial allocation
• Proper road network layout • Horizontal access is not there and there are - Persons who have built on road reserves should
• Reclamation of road reserves only small dangerous spaces between pave way for road network development
with community help buildings exist - Access lanes should be rehabilitated
- Rehabilitation of foot bridges
STROM WATER DRAINAGE
• There is a lack of storm water • Storm water drainage follows the street layout - Storm water drainage should be provided along
drains along the roads and • Storm water drains into the river the roads and access streets
building pavements • Erosion is evident especially along major - Storm water should be separated from
• Soil erosion as a result of steep spines household waste water
slope

34
SANITATION AND SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
• To restore the river and the
riparian reserve
• To improve sanitation by
improving solid and liquid
waste handling
INTERNAL MOVEMENT
• Provision of well-lighted
pedestrian pavements and
lanes
ENERGY
• Reorganizing the power
reticulation within the
settlement
EDUCATION
• To ensure the development of
children through provision of
good early childhood
education (ECD)
• There is no sewer reticulation in the
settlement
• The population of the settlement is roughly
above 7,000 and therefore sewer reticulation
is a necessity
• Garbage collection point does not exist within
settlement
• Main trunk sewer does not function but is
under rehabilitation by NAWASCO.
• Spaces between buildings used for drying of
clothing
• Steep topography discourages south-north
movement
• The settlement has power already supplied at
a distribution of 5 households for a single
output
• There are 5 pre-primary educational facilities
within the settlement
• Existing facilities are at plot level and have
no adequate space
• Settlement has no land bank for constructing
more/new educational facilities
35
• Garbage collection should be provided in the
settlement
• Sewage reticulation and collection should be
provided within the settlement and should be
separated from storm water
• Sewer should be connected to main trunk line or
septic options considered
• Foot paths should be a minimum of 2 meters
• Housing upgrading when followed will allow proper
pedestrian movements
• Power supply layout should be reorganized
• Poles along the access lanes should be reorganized
• There are sufficient educational facilities serving the
settlement and due to lack of space, additional
facilities cannot be provided. Existing facilities
should be improved
• Open spaces should be provided for existing facilities
 INFRASTRUCTURE
DEVELOPMENT AND RIPARIAN
RESERVE CONSERVATION
• Giving the riparian a land use
that will enable sustainable
development of the section
and community ownership
• Development done up to the river
• Total number of structures with the riparian
reserve is 900
• Raw sewage and solid waste emptied into
the river
• Providing a riparian street that will act as a buffer
for the river
• Providing a market along the section
• Proper waste management infrastructure will
reduce riparian and river pollution

3.7 INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT MODELS

Considering the planning process from an infrastructure
perspective, the community was able to see how the entire
community can benefit from well functioning infrastructure. From
this perspective, the benefit was neither selective of tenants or
landlords. It also offered the panacea to solving the tenant landlord
challenge. Infrastructure provision has the ability to improve health,
livelihoods, and the environmental quality of the neighbourhood.
This process is a key prerequisite to regularization and it facilitates
community organization.
The organization of the settlement into 10 clusters basically follows
infrastructure layout and precisely road network layout. This is what
has been used to define the housing layout, waste water drainage
system, electricity supply layout, and piped water supply layout. It is
also along the spaces that have been left for circulation that most
solid waste dumping occurs. From the community forums, a
consensus was arrived that the initial road network layout will be
maintained and any resident who has encroached on this spaces will
have to move. This will then be used to define most of the
remaining infrastructure that need to be laid in the settlement.
Also, form these community forums; the planning team introduced
a primary network within the settlement at two levels:
• A central spine of 4 meters that will serve as a market
street and therefore increase accessibility of the settlement
by waste collecting trucks and also serve as an emergency
access road. This defined the model as the Central Market
Street Model.
• A riparian road of 4 meters that will define the extent of
the riparian reserve and which will also be a primary tool
for changing the community perspective towards the river
i.e. from a backyard to a front-yard. The road will be
accessible by emergency vehicles only and will also increase
the market area for the settlement

36
Option 1: Central Market Street

37
Option 2: Riparian Corridor

38
Simulation of an improved access road within the settlement; note that infrastructure development can be done prior to housing
development

39
The infrastructure layout 1 contains the road network, the water kiosks, garbage collection points (facilities) and areas for income generation
activities (a market street). Primarily, most of the infrastructure and service utilities follow the layout of the road network. The remaining space
is what will be consumed by housing development and other community facilities.

3.8 LAND BUDGET FOR INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT 1

Type of road Width Size of land (hectares)
3.8.1 Land requirements
The broad land requirements are summarized in the table below; Main Road 9m 0.62

Land Portions Size of Land in Hectares Broadway 6m 0.39

Developable Land 4.78 Arteries 4m 0.32

Road 1.43 Path along Riparian 2m 0.10

Riparian 1.73
Working Size of Land 7.94 The road network on the layout is informed by the initial layout of
the settlement as an attempt to preserve the neighbourhood
3.8.2 Road network character and orientation.
The infrastructure layout 1 is informed by the layout of road
The main road is meant to join with Juja Road through a bridge on
network. The settlement is connected to Thika Road through the all
the western end of the settlement once it is complete and also to
weather road between the Police depot and Mathari Mental
Mathare 4B through the proposed market area on the western side
Hospital and a pedestrian path via a foot bridge on the southern
of the settlement. The Broadway is meant to act as Market Street to
part of the settlement to Juja Road.
avoid congestion on the main road as well as to open up the
There are four main types of roads in the settlement which are
settlement to facilitate intra-settlement movement. The path along
meant to open up the settlement to enhance accessibility. The table
the riparian is meant to discourage encroachment of the riparian
below shows the different road types with their widths and the area
reserve as well as to enhance the utilization of the riparian reserve
they occupy on the layout.
for recreational purposes. The arteries roads are meant to act as

40
emergency routes as well as to facilitate movement between the 3.8.4 Solid waste management
upper and the lower sides of the settlement. Solid waste will be managed through provision of solid waste
collection facilities with each having dimensions of 2 meters by 2
3.8.3 Water Supply meters. The solid waste collection facilities will be five in number
The water supply in Kosovo is going to take place in clusters through
with a main solid waste collection point which will also act as a
water kiosks which are strategically located. There will be a
waste sorting point. The solid waste collection facilities will be
household water connection from the water kiosk with each
located on the lower side of the sub-clusters to avoid cases of
household (dwelling unit) having its own water meter. The total
people having to climb up the settlement to access the facilities as
number of kiosks in Kosovo will be nine with the extent to each
well as discourage disposal of waste into the river. The location of
water kiosk serves being informed by the size of the blocks (sub-
the solid waste collection facilities is informed by the mapped out
clusters). Each water kiosk will be 2metres by 2 meters hence the
pollution points in the settlement during the site analysis although
total land occupied by the water kiosks being 36m2. The ware kiosks
the main solid waste collection and sorting point will be situated on
will act as both a public water point as well as a control chamber for
the western side of the settlement near the cliff away from the
the water supply within the sub-clusters being served. Each water
settlement.
kiosk will have a water meter to check the total water consumption
The solid waste will be collected from the solid waste collection
in the sub-cluster. This will aid in checking illegal water connections
facilities to the main collection and sorting site by waste collection
as each resident will act as a custodian of the water being provided
groups that will be formed by the residents at a given fee. It will also
in the sub-cluster.
be a form of income generating activity given that after the waste is
The water reticulation will follow the road layout with the
sorted it can be sold to earn income to the waste collection groups.
connections from the water kiosks being made directly from the
main water pipe along the main road. The water pipe reticulation 3.8.5 Storm Water Reticulation
within a sub-cluster will be determined by the housing typology. The storm water drainage channels will be follow the road layout
with provision of culverts at areas where the drainage channels
have to cross the roads. They will all drain in the river. The drainage

41
channels will be constructed using stones and concrete to avoid
excessive erosion into the river.
3.8.6 Open air market
The settlement will be provided with an open air market on the
residents as well as the residents from the surrounding settlements
such as Mathare 4B and Bondeni. This will facilitate compatibility
given that the open air market will be adjacent to the Broadway
which will act as the market street for the settlement.

space between Kosovo and Mathare 4B where it was initially

proposed to be located. This is to enable accessibility by the Kosovo

Simulation of proposed Primary Infrastructure layout Option 1 based on Road network and respective land areas

42
3.9 LAND BUDGET AND RATIONALE FOR Total 1.23
INFRASTRUCTURE LAYOUT 2
Riparian 1.86
Working Size of Land 7.94
3.9.1 Road Networks

The layout consists of three categories of roads; main road, 3.9.3 Water Supply
arteries and the road along the road along the riparian reserve. Water is to be supplied by five water kiosks located along the
The roads have different width as indicated on the layout map. main road. The kiosks are to take land of 2 meters by 2 meters

The road networks take 1.23ha which is less compared to and water reticulation to every unit is to be guide by the road

1.43ha required for layout 1 networks from the water kiosks. At the water kiosks a common

The variation in the size of land for the riparian layouts is due meter will be provided which is to indicate the supply at the
to the fact that the path along the riparian and the Broadway rate of supply and use by the individual or household
(layout 1) takes a larger part of the riparian land compared to
connections. The will help to curb the cases of illegal
road along the riparian in this layout
connection as will be indicated by variations in the total of
water supply at the different households and the supply
3.9.2 Land Requirements indicated by the main meter at the water kiosks.
Land Portions Size of Land in Hectares
3.9.4 Waste/Garbage Management
Developable Land 4.85
The layout has five garbage collection points strategically
Road
located along the riparian road. Their location at the lower
A. Main Road 0.62 point of the settlement is to ease the transportation of waste to
B. Arteries 0.31 the points as moving the garbage up hill is likely to be
C. Road along Riparian 0.30 cumbersome. The rationale behind this is also to ensure that the
garbage is dumped into the collection
43
3.9.5 Storm Water Drainage 3.9.6 Open Air Market/Jua Kali Shed
The storm water drainage channels in this layout will be guide The facilities are to enhance income generating opportunities in
by the road networks and culverts provided at the points at terms supply of goods and services to the settlement which are
which they cross the roads and directed in the river. provide the Market road in layout one. The sites are already

Simulation of proposed Primary Infrastructure layout Option 2 based on Road network and respective land areas

proposed for the activities and take 900 meters square.

44
 3.10 SUMMARY CONDITIONS WITHIN KOSOVO

Social Hall

Commercial activities
along streets

Infrastructure

Riparian and River

Housing conditions
Solid waste disposal
Water Kiosk

Water point at
household level
Pig rearing along riparian Social halls – churches Public toilet - CDF
45 Drainage
Poor
3.11 HOUSING Houses are also crammed up leading to encroachment of way
leaves, open spaces, access roads and riparian land. However, the
housing arrangement is relatively organized allowing for some
degree of access and circulation and giving the settlement some
form of grid character.

3.11.1 House Ownership

The settlement is generally characterized by congestion, dilapidated
state of housing stock and substandard living conditions. Most
houses are built of temporary materials like rusty iron sheets and in
some cases mud. The main housing typology is row housing with
exception of a few two-storey structures.
These houses are mainly single room houses measuring 10ft by 10ft,
with cemented floors and in some cases, earthen floors. Other
houses also double up as commercial premises, with shops situated
at the front of the houses.
According to the field survey, 87.5% of the respondents rent the
houses they live in; most of the residents are not the actual owners
of the structures. Majority of the landlords in the settlement are
absentee landlords who are interested in optimizing income from
‘their’ land. They therefore construct many rooms for rent as
possible without providing adequate basic services. This poses a
challenge in establishing actual ownership of the structures and
therefore restricts decision making and implementation of actual
projects on the ground.
The original plot sizes were 13 by 20 feet. However, this has been
subdivided into 10 by 13 feet plots which basically houses one
household. From this, it implies that the actual population that was
designated for that settlement has been doubled with this
subdivision.

There is no observation of planning standards in the construction of

these structures and in the layout of the entire settlement. Most
houses do not have adequate ventilation considering the type of
energy used for cooking or lighting.

Most household also don’t have access to sanitation facilities and

water at plot level, they therefore have to pay for such services or
visit the public toilets.

46
Housing Layout Within Kosovo economic activities concentrated areas (Red)

47
Key issues:
Structure ownership
• Dilapidated housing conditions
• Poor access within the clusters.
• No observation of planning standards (houses and layout of
settlement).
87.5
• Inadequate ventilation and access to sanitation facilities and
own
water.
• Houses are densely situated and settlement pattern is rented
haphazard -lowering the quality of the neighborhood 12.5
character.
• Encroachment of riparian reserve, open spaces, access
roads and riparian land.
• Tenants not allowed to modify housing structures; this
Permanent houses within settlement
makes it quite difficult to carry out urgent repair works
• Tenant Landlord conflicts

Building materials mainly consists of:-

• Rusty iron sheets
• Timber frames
• Cement floors
• Mud

48
3.12 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT SUGGESTIONS FOR
KOSOVO SETTLEMENT
The participatory planning process begun at the community
reflection meeting in which the community presented its dreams
graphically of the Kosovo they want. During the first community
meeting in Kosovo, a variety of housing plans were presented to the
slum residents of multiple Mathare valley communities. The
community members were concerned about the structure-owner
and tenant relationship and the complex issue of how to resolve
land tenure. Since the residents were in disagreement as to who the
planning process should address a second community meeting was
Two storey housing layout option
49
structured to consider the planning process from a collaborative
perspective. The planning efforts were intended to address
everyone in the community regardless of their tenure or ownership
status. The subsequent community meeting came up with various
infrastructure and housing options to eventually construct a layout
plan for water and sewer pipes, roads, and garbage collection and
housing development. The intention was to encourage an internal
dialogue concerning the mutual benefits a planning process can
offer to the community. Future community meetings emphasized a
collective, consensus-building process.
Option 1: 2-Story Housing
• Restores original layout
• Same density throughout
• A household on each floor
• No added community spaces
Mixed High-Rise Housing Layout Option

Option 2:
Mixed Density Housing

• High rises on main roads

• Starter houses elsewhere
• Added community spaces

50
The housing typologies within Kosovo are prone to fire and other catastrophes. The vertical density of the houses will be
exploited while the horizontal density will be reduced to create space for recreation facilities and access roads. This will call for
a master-upgrading program for the slum settlement especially considering the raggedness of the terrain within Kosovo. The
upgrading program can be informed by the present upgrading programs in Kambi-moto Gorgon, and Huruma. In the programs,
the beneficiaries receive a loan of between 100,000 and 200,000 from Akiba Mashinani Trust (A.M.T) and build houses using
their own labor and means.

Proper housing for Mathare will also call for a long-term plan that will see the upgrading program undertaken in phases. The
community will have to be trained on courses like masonry and other semi-skilled labor. The community will then be informed
of the long-term upgrading program, after which they will be required to enroll in a saving scheme like the A.M.T. or its
equivalent provided by a housing micro credit institution.

Vertical development will be important in ensuring that the current population is accommodated in the future Kosovo
Settlement. It is also of necessity to incorporate economic development in the housing program. At the end of the day, the
sustainability of the program will be determined by the capacity of the residents to repay the loans taken for housing
development. Unless the land tenure problem within Kosovo is solved, housing development will not come to reality. Also to be
established is the fragile relationship between tenants and structure owners who believe that they are the land owners.

51
3.13 LAND TENURE
When populations are settled without proper/formal procedures in
an urban area, a complex tenure problem emerges. People who
settle in what is considered unused or idle land have a tendency of
“owning” it. The individuals may even take illegal transactions with
the land, where they may rent out or “sell out” the land illegally. In
some areas, owners may allow other people to erect structures on
their (owners) land, subject to payment of a monthly commission.
The structure owner, who is not the landowner may then lease out
the structure to a tenant, who may in turn sub-lease the structure
or part of the structure to another person.
In such a setting as the above, it becomes entirely problematic to
undertake planning interventions like upgrading because the people
on the ground are not the owners of the structures and land. In
reality, the structure owners and land owners may not reside in the
slum or within the riparian reserve. In case of any planning
intervention, like up-grading or better housing provision, the
structure and land owners may claim the benefits, then lease the
improved structures or sell the land to higher bidders, leaving the
really needy homeless.
During President Moi’s election campaign trip to Huruma in 1997,
the residents assembled along Juja Road with placards to draw his
attention to their appeal to be allocated land for resettlement.
While at Huruma Grounds, Moi gave orders to the city council to
identify land for the relocation of the evictees. The residents’
committee of elders engaged the Town Clerk to identify a
settlement for them.
The Mathare/Kosovo settlement is on government land. It is a
squatter settlement as none of the settlers have a formal certificate
52
of lease from either the city council of Nairobi or the Commissioner
of Lands.
The settlement process involved a council surveyor and a ballot
system of land acquisition where the ballot number indicated the
plot to be occupied. Before then, Kosovo was idle land, being left as
reserve land for Mathare police depot to the North of the
settlement. Plot sizes include: 20 by 13, 10 by 10, and 25 by 60 feet
(for school and churches)
In subsequent years, the chief has been key in land transaction
issues that involve transfer of the ballots form one person to
another.
Key issues:
• Uncertainty in land ownership
• Ballot system is not legally recognized as land ownership
procedure
• Controversy over land ownership – between the police and the
community
• Double ownership of ballots among residences
• Challenge of establishing the real beneficiaries
Land Tenure Options
• Lease agreements
• Adverse possession rights
• Community Land Trusts/ Co-operative
ownership by community
3.14 INSTITUTIONS AND GOVERNANCE
Proper designed institutions should have explicit purpose and
authority vested in them to achieve those purposes. They should
also have specific powers in order to have the capacity to fulfill their
obligations that defines their working procedure. These institutions
in Kosovo include;
- Local Government Institutions; - CCN, NEMA, KPLC and
Athi Water Services Board
- Non Governmental Organizations; -Pamoja Trust, Resource
Centre and HOPE
- Local Administration; - Chief
- Politicians; - area M.P and Councilor
- Community Based Organizations;- Muungano wa Wanavijiji
- Faith Based-St.Teresa;- Salvation Army
- Youth Based;- Dreams
- Women Groups;- Joystar Self Help Group
Roles of Institutions
1. Pamoja Trust
This organization has acted as both initiator and coordinator of
development within Kosovo settlement. Its ideologies include
sharing information with other institutions and community driven
development. Pamoja Trust has an evolving methodology but the
key entry point for developing Kosovo is in projects it initiates and
implement within the settlement.
This centre targets the youths within the settlement. It serves to
empower them by offering programmes like computer courses for
them.
3. HOPE
The main role of this institution within Kosovo is to provide primary
education within the settlement. This initiative is also facilitated by
this institution through initiating feeding programme within such
schools.
4. Faith Based Organizations
FBOs in Kosovo have also come up to support the development of
Kosovo through establishing primary schools where such churches
are located and rehabilitating street children e.g. at St. Teresa which
also constructed the main water pipe from Muthaiga to the
settlement.
5. Youth Groups
These groups like Dreams focus on empowering youths in Kosovo
economically. this include helping the youths to start small scale
businesses and Initiating projects like farming e.g. pig farming by
Vision Self Help Youth Group
6. Women Groups
These provide Micro-Finance services like loans to its members

2. Resource Centre

53
7. Muungano ya Wanavijiji 10. Kenya Power and Lighting Company
KPLC is in charge of electrification of the settlement under slum
This is the main development committee which oversees planning upgrading program.
of the settlement. It is a community based organization that
operates in Kosovo It offers loans to individuals to develop 11. Local Administration- Chief
themselves in terms of electrification and water provision at This is a key institution in land administration within the settlement
household level. Its role is to improve the community’s welfare and e.g. land acquisition. The chief also provides information about the
awareness. The CBO will be involved in awareness and capacity settlement to development institutions.
building in the settlement as well as in management and
maintenance of the project.

8. CDF under the political institution

This is used to provide sanitation facilities like toilets within the

settlement e.g. the 12 toilets in cluster C and improving
infrastructure within the settlement like construction of bridges e.g.
at cluster H

9. Local Authority

The City Council of Nairobi has been given mandate as a local

authority to ensure control in its area of jurisdiction under the Local
Government Act and the Physical Planning act. It has been
mandated, under the Local Government Act, to undertake any
sewer or water reticulation works, and adopt streets in the Streets
Adoption Act. On the contrary, it is not actively involved in
development of the informal settlement but of late it introduced an
Iko-toilet within the settlement in collaboration with the Iko
Company.

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4.0 STRATEGIES TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF KOSOVO
Sector Analysis
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
• Poor road conditions along major trading
areas
• Poor sanitation
• Lack of market areas
• Riparian and river pollution by livestock
Poor spatial organization of business
activities
WATER SUPPLY
• Lack of proper water supply layout
• Poorly designated water public water
points
• Lack of proper drainage results in runoff
of waste water into the river
ROADS
• Poor conditions of access roads
• Lack of motorable connection to Juja
Road
• Encroachment to road spaces
STORM WATER DRAINAGE
• There lacks storm water drains along the
roads and building pavements
• Soil erosion as a result of steep slope
Ecological strategies
• Planning for economic
space use along the
riparian section that is
ecologically friendly and
compatible
• Provision of adequate and
reliable drainage of waste
water and proper
reticulation of piped water
for the settlement
• Proper road network
layout that creates
minimal disturbance to
the riparian reserve
• Preparation of storm water
drainage layout
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Economic strategies
• Provision of market area for the
residents and market sheds that is
not too expensive to maintain
• Designing residential units that can
accommodate small businesses
• Planning for economic land use
along the riparian section
• Creating real job opportunities
• Increasing the level of efficiency of
water supply services
• Involve private entities and
organizations in providing water
services i.e. financial assistance
• Providing proper roads to enhance
movement of people, goods and
services
• Road network that opens up
economic opportunities
• Providing storm water drainage
facilities with easy maintenance
Social strategies
• Ensuring that market areas
and economic spaces are
equitably accessed by all
clusters
• Increasing access to real job
opportunities by all the
clusters
• Provision of water at
household level and well
distributed water points
• Efficient water reticulation
• Accessibility of all clusters to
the main road
• Accessibility to households
• To ensure all areas are well-
drained
SANITATION AND SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT
• Air and water pollution
• Poor solid waste management systems
• Blocked drainages
• Indiscriminate dumping of waste
Discharge of effluent into the riparian
river pollution
TRANSPORT
• Lack of well-articulated pedestrian lanes
and vehicular access
• Inadequate provision of public transport
• Proper sewer reticulation
and storm drainage in the
whole settlement
• Connection of the sewer to
the main trunk sewer
• Rehabilitation of the
riparian section
• Providing accessible and
well-designed solid waste
collection points
• Provide transport options
that create minimal
disturbance to the riparian
reserve
• Establishment of a path
along the riparian reserve to
discourage encroachment of
the riparian reserve
• Involve private entities and
organizations in providing
sanitation and solid waste
management services i.e. financial
assistance
• Making solid waste collection a
viable job opportunity sector for
groups
• Increasing the efficiency of transport
within the settlement by providing
proper layout
• Using the local labour force during
construction of the roads
• Ensuring that waste
disposal/collection points are
accessible to all
• Promoting training and
hygienic and healthy sanitation
habits among the residents
• Increasing variety of transport
mode options to the residents
• Ensuring that movement at
household level is enhanced
through proper housing designs

ENERGY
• Poor layout of power lines
• Illegal tapping of electricity
HOUSING
• Dilapidated housing conditions
• Need for adequate sanitation facilities
• Poor access within the clusters
• No observation of planning standards
(houses and layout of settlement)
• Providing environmentally
friendly energies such as
tapping into solar energies
• Safeguard the riparian
reserve by giving compatible
land uses
• Optimal and efficient supply and
utilization of energy
• Proper power layout to enhance
supply and reduce illegal tapings
• Cheap and affordable housing
• Utilizing the local labour force during
construction
• Proper layout that will enhance
space utilization
• Cheap and affordable energy
options
• Ensuring that both the tenants
and the landlords benefit from
the housing project
• Access to infrastructure services
and community facilities

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ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Polluted environment and an encroached
riparian reserve
EDUCATION
• Secondary education facility is lacking
• Inaccessibility to existing education
facilities
• Community involvement in
restoration of the riparian
reserve and the whole
Kosovo environment
• There exist sufficient
educational facilities in the
surrounding neighbourhood
• There exist many pre-
primary schools
• To provide a sustainable mechanism
of environmental restoration and
conservation
• To ensure the development of
children through provision of good
early childhood education (ECD)
• Ensure a non-polluted
environment for all
• Increasing accessibility and
space of the existing institutions

5.0 STRATEGIC ACTIONS

Sectoral Problem Opportunities
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
• Poor road conditions along major trading • Riparian space may provide
areas area for market
• Poor sanitation • High business
• Lack of market areas concentration within the
• Riparian and river pollution by livestock settlement
• Poor spatial organization of business • Potential in tapping into
activities LATF and CDF funds in the
development of economic
activities
Objective
• To improve the economic
wellbeing of the residents
• To integrate economic
development in the housing
development and riparian
restoration processes
Action
• Provision of market area
for the residents and
market sheds
• Designing residential units
that can accommodate
small business
• Planning for economic
space use along the riparian
section
• Opening up the
settlement using roads that
encourage business
establishment

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WATER SUPPLY
• Lack of proper water supply layout • There already exists a
• Poorly designated water public water points water supply within the
• Lack of proper drainage result in runoff of settlement
waste water into the river • Most households have
connection pipes
• The topography also makes
it easy to reticulate the
settlements
ROADS
• Poor conditions of access roads • Community willing to
• Lack of motorable connection to Juja Road corporate and provide for
• Encroachment to road spaces roads
• Narrow access streets
STROM WATER DRAINAGE • Storm water can easily be
• There is a lack of storm water drains along drained into the river due
the roads and building pavements to topography
• Soil erosion as a result of steep slope • Built environment reduces
soil erosion
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• To provide clean and • Provision of adequate
efficient water at drainage of waste water
household levels and proper reticulation of
• To develop a layout for piped water.
water supply reticulation • Provision of water at
household level
• Improve access to water
points
• To improve road networks • Proper designs and
and drainage channels construction of the road
along the roads • Rehabilitation of road
• Provide sufficient access spaces
within the settlement • Proper road network
• To provide services and layout
emergency roads • Reclamation of road
reserves with community
help
• To plan for sustainable • Preparation of storm
storm water drainage water drainage layout
within the settlement and • Reduce erosion by
reduce the pollution introducing paved
effects of storm water drainage tiles, crowned
streets.
• Separating storm-water
from sewer drains
SANITATION AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT • Main sewer trunk lies in • To improve sanitation by • Proper sewer reticulation
• Air and water pollution close proximity improving solid and liquid and storm drainage in the
• Poor solid waste management systems • Willingness of community waste handling whole settlement
• Blocked drainages to adopt a clean and safe • To restore the river and • Connection of the sewer
• Indiscriminate dumping of waste environment the riparian reserve drains to the main trunk
• Discharge of effluent into the river • Ongoing restoration sewer-line
• Riparian pollution program of riparian • Rehabilitation of the
reserves riparian section
• Providing accessible and
well-designed solid waste
collection points
• Providing a sorting and
recycling centre
• Individual block solid waste
receptacles
TRANSPORT
• Lack of well-articulated pedestrian lanes and • There exist earth roads • To increase accessibility • Provision of well lit
vehicular access that link the settlement to of public transport pedestrian pavements and
• Inadequate provision of public transport Thika and Juja Road lanes
• Linking the settlement to
Thika and Juja Road using
tarmac roads
ENERGY
• Poor layout of power lines • There already exist power • To provide a proper layout • Reorganizing the power
• Illegal tapping of electricity supply within the of power supply reticulation within the
settlement settlement

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HOUSING
• Dilapidated housing conditions • The willingness of the
• Need for adequate sanitation facilities community to adopt better
• Poor access within the clusters housing conditions
• No observation of planning standards • The existence of unique
(houses and layout of settlement). plot sizes that apply for the
• Inadequate ventilation and access to whole settlement
sanitation facilities and water. • The community as it is has
• Houses are crowded and settlement pattern a relatively planned layout
is haphazard -lowering the quality of the • There exist many
neighborhood character. organizations that can fund
• Encroachment of riparian reserve, open housing projects
spaces, access roads and riparian land. • Government support in
• Tenants not allowed to modify housing slum upgrading
structures; this makes it quite difficult to programmes
carry out urgent repair works • The community is willing to
vacate the riparian reserve
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION • The Nairobi River Basin
• Polluted environment and an encroached Restoration Programme
riparian reserve • NEMA standards
EDUCATION • There exist sufficient
• Secondary education facility is lacking educational facilities in the
• Inaccessibility to existing education surrounding neighborhood
facilities • There exist many pre-
primary schools
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• To improve housing • Providing for 2-story on
conditions within the the 13 by 20 feet plots
settlement • Developing good housing
• To provide a proper designs that are cost-
housing layout for the effective and easy to build
settlement • Providing self-contained
• To restore the riparian housing designs with
reserve proper layouts in order to
• To increase access to basic enhance settlement
facilities at household level character
such as water, waste • Integrate housing
disposal, power supply and development and
accessibility economic development of
the settlement
• Safeguard the riparian
reserve by giving
compatible land uses
• Ensuring a secure tenure
for the residents
• To provide a sustainable • Community involvement in
mechanism of restoration of the riparian
environmental restoration reserve and the whole
and conservation Kosovo environment
• To ensure the development • Increasing accessibility and
of children through space of the existing
provision of good early institutions
childhood education (ECD)
LAND TENURE • Residents know how land • To ensure maximum • Involvement of all land
management is organized benefits for all the stakeholders in the
• Uncertainty in land ownership within the settlement residents – both tenants planning process
• The ballot system is not legally recognized and landlords • Engaging the relevant
as land ownership procedure • To pursue best land authorities in the
• Controversy on land ownership – ownership options for the development of land tenure
between the police and the community settlement option for the settlement
• Double ownership of ballots among • To ensure that conflict does i.e. NCC
residences not arise in the
• Challenge of establishing the real neighborhood planning
beneficiaries process
GOVERNANCE AND INSTITUTIONS • Institutions exist • To enhance management , • Involvement of all
• Political interference has major influence in • Institutions have explicit communication and institutions in the
the development of the settlement. purpose participatory processes neighborhood planning
• There is insufficient coordination among the among the institutions process
institutions in planning for settlement
development.
• Community participation is lacking in a
major way in development.

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