Disaster Profile and Response in Urban Informal Settlement of Mathare, Nairobi County, Kenya

Abstract

Disaster is an event that kills 10 or more people or leaves at least 100 people injured, homeless, displaced or evacuated. In extreme cases, these calamities usually impact negatively on the community and disrupt people’s normal living. Kenya’s informal areas are disaster prone due to households living under high voltage transmissions lines, railway line reserves, pipeline reserves, quarries and landfills, riparian reserves and others adjacent to heavy industrial activities. This dogma of urbanization calls for the need to address the planning needs of slums and informal settlements and making cities work for the urban poor entangled in these poverty and disaster traps. The study objective is to evaluate disaster types, causes, response and mitigation strategies in Mathare slums, Nairobi county, Kenya. Retrospective study design was employed on six purposefully sampled key informants. Interviews and focused group discussion were used in data collection. The period of study was from January to December 2023. The study site was Mathare slum, Nairobi County, Kenya. Statistics of disaster victims and response were derived from local government administrator office records. According to data from the local administration office, the period of January to December 2023 recorded eight disasters. There were four cases of fire that raged down households and businesses in Mathare affecting a total of 199 households. Illegal electricity, negligence and arson attacks were identified as causes of fire disaster. Two cases of landslides were recorded that affected six households, two victims were injured but there was no mortality. Illegal structures built on and under the cliffs with no foundation and pillars have been identified as contributor of landslides in Mathare. There were two flood disasters that affected 1500 households with zero mortality. House structures built on riparian land, on drainage ducts and along riverbanks are the main contributors of floods. The study recommends that The government and partners should invest in educating residents on disaster prevention. Relevant government authorities should inspect and approve construction of buildings in Mathare. Arrest and prosecute of arsonists and educate them against the vice. Government to construct and unclog drainage to manage rain water. Demolish illegal structures along the roads to create access in emergency response. Government and partners to set up disaster and relief coordination center in Mathare.