Facts about Kibera
Introduction
Kibera is a slum (meaning “a bleak or destitute place” which originates from the Irish phrase 'S lom é (pron. s'lum ae)) on the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya. It is home to over a million people and is roughly 1.5 square miles, making it one of the most densely populated places on earth.
The exact population size of Kibera is the subject of some debate, however, in 2003 a U.N. report concluded that Kibera was the biggest slum in the world and recently estimated its population at 1.5 million. In contrast, the 2009 Kenya Population and Housing Census reported Kibera's population at hundreds of thousands; however, it is only recently that the Kenyan government has recognized the very existence of the slum, even though it has existed for over 80 years. Most Non Governmental Organizations believe that the population figure is over 1 million. What is not in dispute is that Kibera is one of the biggest slums in the world and has some of the harshest living conditions anywhere on the planet.
If You Know Your History
In the 1920’s, the British colonial government decided to let a group of Nubian mercenaries from Sudan settle in a forest outside Nairobi, as a reward for their services in World War One. They called the place Kibera, which means forest or jungle in Nubian. The British, however, never gave the Nubians the title deeds to their new land. The soldiers built homes and set up new businesses but in reality they were squatters with no legal rights. The population of Kibera has been growing steadily since 1945 as the population moved from rural areas to urban in the hope of finding employment and there are now representatives of over 40 tribes living in Kibera.
Recently, prolonged rioting in Kibera caught the world's attention following the disputed election of December 2007. It was the scene of some of the worst violence in Kenya as neighbours turned against each other because of ethnic, religious or political rivalries, with the police accused of using brutal force to quash clashes and protests. The rioting erupted in early 2008, after President Mwai Kibabi (of the Kikuya tribe) was declared winner of the presidential poll, triggering claims of electoral fraud by Mr. Odinga (of the Luo tribe). Incumbent President Mwai Kibaki had been trailing his opponent Raila Odinga by a wide margin throughout the early portion of the race; however, in the final hours of the polls, Odinga's lead evaporated and Kibaki declared victory.
Violent protests lasted through April as the disputed election was resolved with assistance from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. The rivals signed a power sharing agreement to bring an end to the violence and formed a coalition government, but not before 1,500 people had died in the violence and another 300,000 had fled their homes. In March 2011 the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued summons for six Kenyans suspected of being behind the violence. The suspects include the deputy prime minister, an ex-minister and an ex-police chief. They are accused of murder, deportations and persecutions by ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo.
Violence is not new to Kibera. In 1992, ethnic violence broke out between Kikuyus and Kalenjins after the country's first multiparty elections. In 2001, President Moi publicly encouraged Luos to stop paying rent to Nubian landlords; the Nubians responded violently, and the resulting clash led to numerous deaths. The issues that caused violent clashes in Kibera were not caused but fueled by tribalism. The root cause of the violence is poverty.
This Land is Your Land, This Land is Our Land
Land ownership is a major issue with only a small proportion of the population owning their own shack. It is estimated that 90% of the population rent their accommodation, mainly from absentee landlords and politicians. A University of Nairobi study in 2002 found that of 120 landlords interviewed, 57 percent were either government officers or politicians.
Given that the settlements are illegal, landlords are not obliged to provide any services, such as water, electricity or toilets.
Rents vary but even for the smallest shack the rent can amount to $15-$20 a month, more than half a month’s salary. Rent disputes between landlords and tenants have flared up into full-scale war, leading to death and destruction of property.
Living conditions
Residents live in mud shacks with corrugated iron roofs. The shacks are typically 10 feet by 10 feet with an average household occupancy of 5. Almost all the buildings are built with no building regulations and homes regularly catch fire, often resulting in fatalities. Large parts of the slum are inaccessible by road and in case of a fire outbreak calling in the fire brigade would be a waste of time. The tiny hovels in which most families live offer no privacy at all, as parents are forced to share the little available space with their children.
Poverty is the most striking aspect of life in Kibera and living conditions are deplorable. Basic infrastructure such as electricity, clean water, toilet facilities and sewage disposal is minimal. A nauseating latrine can be shared by over 200 people each charged 5 shillings a time. In warm weather the stench of stagnant sewage is unbearable and when it rains, the mud makes walking totally treacherous, with most paths impassable in the rainy season. There are plastic bags strewn everywhere, these are known as "flying toilets" where residents go to the toilet in the bags and then throw them out on the street. There are open sewers filled with stinking, raw sewage running down the pathways. The stench is overpowering and disease is rife.
Lives are short and high in misery, yet many people retain a sense of dignity and a desire to make something of their lives.
Disease and Life Expectancy
The average life expectancy for a man is 56 years and for a woman is 57 years. Some 20% of children die before their 5th birthday.
Half of Kibera’s population are children under 15 years of age. Appallingly, many children who are born in Kibera die in Kibera only knowing the harsh realities of the slum. The children themselves are very vulnerable and face perils every day from the brutal conditions of the slum. Not only do they battle starvation, malnutrition and disease, but they also face dangers from other people in the slum such as exploitation, substance abuse, sexual and mental abuse and gang violence.
The combination of poor sanitation, open sewers, lack of clean drinking water and health facilities together with the proliferation of roadside food stalls, often leads to serious outbreaks of disease with diarrhoea, typhoid, malaria and cholera being rampant. Since the dwellings are so closely spaced, epidemics spread quickly.
UNICEF estimates that there are over 150,000 people living with AIDS in Kibera, with 50,000 being children. It is estimated that at least 50,000 children have been orphaned by AIDS and left to fend for themselves or are being brought up by extended family.
Employment
Unemployment is widespread and work is hard to come by. The majority of people who live in Kibera live from hand to mouth and starvation and famine are never far from the door.
Most of those lucky to have employment work in the industrial area, having to travel long distances for work. Many of them leave their homes at 5.00 a.m. to arrive at work at 7.00 a.m. Others work in food stalls or private homes and the rest just depend on casual jobs when they are able to find one.
The average daily wage is less than £1 a day.
Let the People Sing
Kibera is one of the most studied slums in Africa, not only because it sits in the centre of a modern city, but also because the U.N.’s agency for human settlements is headquartered close by. In September 2009 the Kenyan government, which claims ownership of the land on which Kibera stands, began a long-term movement scheme to re-house the people who live in slums in Nairobi with the backing of the UN.
Critics argue that slum clearances tend to ignore the social problems that cause slums and simply redistribute poverty to less valuable real estate. Where communities have been moved out of slum areas to newer housing, social cohesion may be lost. If the original community is moved back into newer housing after it has been built in the same location, residents of the new housing face the same problems of poverty and powerlessness. There is a growing movement to demand a global ban of 'slum clearance programmes' and other forms of mass evictions.
A report issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission issued in May 2010 and entitled ‘Promoting High-level Sustainable Growth to Reduce Unemployment in Africa’ states that African countries must prioritise the creation of decent jobs as a central pillar of economic policy in order to eradicate poverty.
The club believes that sport helps to unite people from different backgrounds but recognises that for most people, gainful employment is the only way out of poverty. This is especially the case for youth and other disadvantaged groups. For this reason the club has started and intends to start more new businesses in Kibera.
Kibera Celtic’s overriding principle is that the club is open to all, hence the motto: