"Catch the Dream": From Rampant Evictions to Wholescale Redevelopment

Webinar on 2 February -  8  am CET / 10 am EAT

Mukuru is home to some of Nairobi’s largest informal settlements, totalling around 10% of the city’s population. For several years, Akiba Mashinani Trust (AMT) along with a consortium of organizations, have been leading efforts to support residents in Mukuru to improve their living conditions. Since 2012, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), from Canada, supported two rounds of research in Mukuru to identify practical knowledge and solutions to a host of challenges related to informal land tenure, governance, and human rights related to access to basic services.

This has contributed directly to initiate the largest urban upgrading effort globally, covering 650 acres and benefitting over 100,000+ urban poor households. 

Through ongoing engagement with Nairobi County, the county government declared a Special Planning Area for Mukuru in 2017, which froze all development in the settlement. During the second round of research, 2016-19, the team developed an integrated plan to redevelop Mukuru, with a consortium of 40+ organizations. The Kenyan government is now implementing the plan, as part of a high-level political response to Covid-19.

These developments have helped many residents of Mukuru to ‘catch the dream’ of one city for all. However, the planning process is still not complete, and much work lies ahead to make the dream a reality. For instance, resolving questions related to privately held lands in Mukuru requires urgent resolution.

The virtual Roundtable is co-hosted by the Canadian High Commission for Canada and IDRC, in collaboration with the Deputy-General of the National Municipal Services. Participants will consist of representatives from Embassies, bilateral and multilateral donors, private sector and philanthropy and civil society.

The overall goal is for participants to 'catch the dream’ about the Special Planning Area process in Mukuru and:

• Present the Mukuru story, and most recent progress in implementing the SPA, with a spotlight on the role of research;
• Raise awareness about GoK commitment to access to services and social justice;
• Highlight outstanding gaps and opportunities for support and investment;
• Highlight the potential for scaling these experiences at a city, national and regional level.

Find more information on Mukuru on the IDRC website:

• Mukuru Rising
• Other materials