This morning marked the launch of an ambitious program for the regeneration of Kenya’s informal settlements, funded by the Italian Cooperation. KISRP (Kenya Informal Settlement Redevelopment Programme) aims to enhance connectivity, improve access to basic services, and increase security in the country’s peri-urban and peripheral areas. The launch took place during a ceremony presided over by the Italian Ambassador to Kenya, Roberto Natali, and was attended by the Deputy Head of the Nairobi Office of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), Valeria Buoninfante, alongside representatives from the target counties (Siaya, Kajiado, and Kilifi) and Kenya’s 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 KISRP initiative, funded by Italian Cooperation with a contribution of €6 million, will focus on informal settlements in Awelo (Siaya County), Kibarani Settlement Scheme (Kilifi County), and Mathare (Kajiado County) with activities that include land surveying and registration, as well as the upgrading of these areas through the construction of infrastructure such as roads, rainwater drainage systems, educational facilities, and health centers.
According to Ambassador Natali, African cities will increasingly become the engine of the continent’s development. “For this reason, sustainable and inclusive programs are essential to ensure that urban spaces are properly managed, providing infrastructure and services that leave no one behind,” he stated.
