@article{cff4748834d84866881192441e8d9748,
title = "Property rights, public health, and planning for informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya",
abstract = "The Kenyan legal framework accords robust safeguards to private property rights. It is only in few cases that these rights may be limited. In Kenya, many informal settlements are on private land, which can limit the ability of residents to access life-saving basic services. Here, we explore how a public health emergency in Mukuru, one of Nairobi{\textquoteright}s largest informal settlements, gave rise to a redefinition of private property, security of tenure and delivery of water and sanitation. We suggest that “everyday emergency” of public health threats in informal settlements offers an opportunity to ensure that property and planning norms deliver rights to both secure tenure and human health. Ultimately, we explore the place of public health in (re)negotiating for land rights in Nairobi, particularly to ensure that the urban poor can express their rights to health and well-being and assess what this portends for planners in their quest to upgrade informal settlements.",
keywords = "Mukuru, Nairobi, land tenure, public health",
author = "Smith Ouma and Jason Corburn and Jane Weru",
note = "Funding Information: In this study, we focus on the informal settlements of Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Kwa Reuben, and Viwandani (what we call here, Mukuru) located in the eastern parts of Nairobi. We relied on multiple data sources with our primary data source being the literature and data emerging from the Mukuru SPA process. We also engaged with the ongoing Special Planning process in Mukuru from which we were able to gather data on household living conditions in Mukuru, land tenure and health. Our participation in the SPA meetings was made possible through the support of Muungano wa Wanavijiji (the Kenyan affiliate of Slum Dwellers International) and the University of California, Berkeley. These two institutions have engaged residents of Mukuru in action research from which household data has been generated. The Health Services Consortium (HSC) of the Mukuru Special Planning Area also facilitated our access to health data generated over a 6-month period in 2018. In their research, the HSC administered two questionnaires to 966 participants. The questionnaires administered by the HSC specifically targeted individuals who inhabit the settlements, community interest groups such as Community Health Volunteers (CHVs), operators of private clinics, and people with special needs. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Urban Affairs Association.",
year = "2022",
month = may,
day = "12",
doi = "10.1080/07352166.2022.2051712",
language = "English",
journal = "Journal of Urban Affairs",
issn = "0735-2166",
publisher = "Taylor & Francis",
}