November 26, 2024

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Why Some Families Worth Billions are Living in a Nairobi Slum

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Some families in Nairobi are struggling to sell their plots cumulatively worth billions of shilling. At the moment they are living in poverty in a slum.

Their expanse, treasured property borders the affluent Runda estate. It is called Githogoro slums in Karura Ward, Nairobi County.

They are living in shanties because they cannot afford to turn their prime land into a leafy suburb. Efforts to sell their plots are frustrated by family feuds despite being offered handsome money by buyers.

They are 72 families each owning two prime plots in Githogoro. Each family has a half-acre plot bordering the busy Northern Bypass and another three-quarter acre plot few metres off this road.

Currently a plot on the bypass is going for about Sh60 million while those ones away from the road selling at Sh50 million each.

This means each family has plots worth Sh100 million or more. Cumulatively the 72 families’ land is worth Sh7 billion.

The land is along Northern Bypass and borders Runda (left side).

So, why are they impoverished yet they have a gem? Kamau Thuo a resident and former area MCA says wrangles are preventing many from selling the plots.

Since 1970s when it was subdivided generations after another have claimed a piece of it making it hard for the extended families to agree on what to do with the plots.

“Many want to sell these plots because even if we decided to subdivide amongst family members it will not accommodate us all. We are talking about four generations. They don’t agree to sell and move elsewhere so we are forced to put up mabati structures and squeeze ourselves here” Thuo says.

Former MCA Kamau Thuo.

They have resulted to renting the shanties to casual labourers working in Runda. The slum accommodates about 25, 000 people.

John Gitau is a father sitting on a plot bought by his grandfather. That plot is claimed by his siblings, uncles and his children. They are yet to agree to sell it and move out.

“We are stranded here. On our plots worth millions of money but we can’t turn them into a fortune because of our wrangles. We are poor millionaires” Gitau laments.

The slum with Runda Estate in the background.