Introduction to Kibera
The formation of Kibera occurred as part of a larger series of informal settlements which lie on the outskirts of Nairobi. During the period of colonial rule, many African migrants were barred from living within the city’s residential neighbourhoods by the government, who reserved these areas for european and asian immigrants working within Nairobi (Mutisya and Yarime, 2011). These migrants were subsequently forced into settlements, such as Kibera, which lined the city borders. Its proximity to the urban centre of Nairobi and inexpensive cost of living attracts many rural African residents to the area, continually growing the population from less than 10,000 in the 1960’s to over 900,000 today (Mutisya and Yarime, 2011). Nairobi is the centre of economic opportunity in Kenya and therefore the obvious choice for migrants, as the city offers access to resources and infrastructure.
Via Flickr
Mutisya, E., Yarime, M., 2011. Understanding the grassroots dynamics of slums in Nairobi: the dilemma of Kibera informal settlements. Int Trans J Eng Manag Appl Sci Technol 2, 197–213.