Paper short abstract:

This Paper examines the politics behind the construction of high rise housing in informal settlements through tokenistic relationships that lead to tussling between the essentialness or the expediency of housing in informal settlements.

Paper long abstract:

Over the years, informal settlements in Nairobi have experienced serious fire outbreaks These have been caused by negligence, dangerous electrical connections, and the poor use of cooking appliances. This has led to significant loss of life, property, and livelihoods. The precarious state of housing is one of the major causes of poor living standards in informal settlements. The politics of housing in informal settlements is shaped by tokenistic relations between the locals, politicians, and government administrators. The more powerful and well-connected individuals wield immense power and have great decision-making power in informal settlements. This power has become more visible recently with the proliferation of high-rise housing in the Mukuru Kayaba informal settlement. Using the informal settlement of Mukuru Kayaba as a lens, this paper examines how city systems have shaped earlier versions of housing and how they are also affecting the newer versions. The local landlords who are well-connected get a head start and construct stone houses which could be a solution to the housing crisis in the locality. However, issues arise on the quality of the housing and the supply of amenities such as water, sanitation, and electricity This raises the question of the crisis of housing and the tensions between affordable and essential housing in informal settlements. This is that which is essential housing that dignifies people or what is considered expedient because of the prevailing circumstances in the informal settlement.