Six informal settlements in Kisumu County have received a major facelift following the rollout of the second Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project (KISIP 2) program.
The projects, among them roads, markets, storm water drainage, solid waste management and street lighting, have opened up the slums enhancing access to basic infrastructure and land tenure security.
Kisumu County KISIP 2 Coordinator Tom Mboya said through the Sh1.3 billion project, a total of 14 roads were currently under construction in Bandani, Manyatta A, Manyatta B, Kibuye, and Muhoroni. The projects, which are at different levels of completion, shall be handed over on January 18, 2025.
Notable among the projects, he said, was the Sh 1.3 million Auji-Pundo Road, which will connect Bandani to Kisumu-Busia highway opening up the informal settlement. For many years, the informal settlement opposite Kisumu International Airport has been delinked from the rest of Kisumu City due to lack of roads.
The road, which comes with street lights, will enhance security and navigation besides improving land tenure in the area and other informal settlements.
“The land in these informal settlements belongs to the community. The title deeds are freehold, which is why the government has little influence in the land’s utilization. However, through KISIP2, we have managed to pay those affected by the roads we are constructing,” he said.
Moving people to pave the way for the projects, he said, was the biggest challenge, adding that the county government has spent Sh12 million to compensate the affected people. “These people have lived here for long. Some have buried their loved ones here; therefore, it was not easy to convince them to move for these projects to take off, but we have managed,” he said.
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Speaking during an inspection of the roads, Mboya said the roads were set to spark economic growth in the areas, calling on area residents to take advantage and do business. As part of the project, three modern markets have been constructed in Bandani, Manyatta, and Kasawino to provide safe spaces for women to trade.
The markets with a capacity of 68 traders each will be a lifeline for traders in the informal settlements.“With the improved street lighting, our women are now able to trade at night in safe and secure markets,” he said.
George Odhiambo, a resident of Bandani Estate, lauded the government for the initiative, saying the projects were set to change the landscape of the informal settlements.
“With the roads done, we are now connected to Kisumu City, and people can trade. It will also be easy for the police to do patrols, thus enhancing our security. We also expect the value of our property to go up,” he said.
KISIP2, which is being implemented by the State Department for Housing and county governments, is funded by the World Bank and the French Development Bank (AFD).
By Fredrick Odiero
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