An ambitious initiative to redevelop Kenya’s informal settlements, backed by Italian Cooperation, has officially been launched. The Kenya Informal Settlement Redevelopment Programme (KISRP) aims to enhance connectivity, improve access to essential services, and increase safety in peri-urban and peripheral areas of the country.

The launch event, presided over by Italy’s Ambassador to Kenya, Roberto Natali, was attended by Valeria Buoninfante, Deputy Head of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation in Nairobi, as well as representatives from key counties (Siaya, Kajiado, Kilifi) and the Kenyan Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development.

In Kenya, over 15% of the urban population lives in informal settlements, while 53% of the population is considered multidimensionally poor, lacking access to essential services such as clean water, food, vaccinations, quality housing, and education.

The €6 million Italian-funded KISRP initiative will focus on three key informal settlements: Awelo (Siaya County), Kibarani Settlement Scheme (Kilifi County), and Mathare (Kajiado County). Planned interventions include land surveying and registration, as well as the construction of key infrastructure, such as roads, rainwater drainage systems, educational facilities, and healthcare centers.

According to Ambassador Natali, African cities are set to become the driving force of the continent’s development: "For this reason, sustainable and participatory programs are essential to ensure that urban spaces are properly managed, providing inclusive infrastructure and services that leave no one behind."