UASIN GISHU COUNTY: Seven informal settlements in Uasin Gishu County have been earmarked for a major infrastructure upgrade at Sh. 1.3 billion through the Kenya Informal Settlements Improvement Project, KISIP II. The project is being implemented by the national government in collaboration with the county government with funding from the World Bank, the Agence Française de Development (AFD), and a grant from the European Union, EU targets to transform the livelihoods of the locals in the slum settlements.

According to Kenya News Agency, the selected slums will benefit from 13.1 kilometres of tarmacked roads, seven high mast security lights, street lighting along the improved roads, pedestrian walkways, storm water drainage, and public parks and green spaces, according to the Uasin Gishu County chief officer (CO) housing and urban development Julius Koech. Koech said the improvement of the informal settlements will give a new face to Eldoret, which was conferred to city status in August 2024. He highlighted th
at the KISIP II project has come at a crucial time when Eldoret has just become the fifth city, addressing issues such as the sprouting of slums, with an additional component on institutional capacity development for slum upgrading.

The project, currently at a 20 percent completion rate, aims to reduce informal settlements in the county by 50 percent by its expected completion date on June 30th, 2025. The slums selected for improvement include Maili Inne, which will receive 3.9kms of road improved to bitumen standards, 7 km of pedestrian walkways, storm water drainage, high mast street lights, and an ablution block. Kipkaren settlement will benefit from 2.5 kms of tarmac road, drainage, a recreational facility along Kipkaren river, and high mast and street lighting.

Additionally, KK, Kasarani, and Segero slums will receive a total of 2.1km of tarmacked roads, drainage, lighting, and walkways. These settlements have been identified as areas with significant informality, featuring dilapidated roads and inadeq
uate services. Mwanzo will benefit from 3.9 km of road, closed storm water drainage, street, and high mast lighting, and a green space, while Shauri will receive 700 meters of tarmac, drainage, and lighting.

Since the project’s inception four months ago, 500 youths from the specific settlements have been employed, providing job opportunities directly and indirectly for the youth and women. The project has also spurred economic development and reduced crime rates in the seven slums. With the new security and street lights, residents can conduct their businesses until late at night without fear.

The CO emphasized working closely with the community through a committee to ensure the welfare of affected individuals, who have been compensated. Koech expressed gratitude to the national government, the World Bank, AFD, and the EU for supporting the KISIP II project, pledging that his department will manage the project to the expected standards.

The KISIP II project is integral to Vision 2030, aiming to improve acc
ess to basic services and land tenure security for residents in urban informal settlements. It seeks to strengthen institutional capacity for slum upgrading and support urban areas in achieving a well-housed population in an environmentally secure environment. The project is rolling out interventions on infrastructure upgrading across 33 participating counties, with ongoing works in five counties: Kakamega, Nakuru, Kilifi, Kisumu, and Nairobi.

Additionally, tenure regularization aims to enable residents in informal settlements across the country to access land through tenure security, with ongoing efforts in 33 counties and more than 120 informal settlements. The KISIP II project has also initiated the preparation of county-specific slum upgrading and prevention strategies to support 20 counties. The project focuses on utilizing labour-intensive techniques and inclusive employment practices to create opportunities for unskilled and semi-skilled settlement-based labour, aligning with the government’s agenda o
n affordable and social housing programs.