Korogocho: A Comprehensive Profile of Ruaraka Constituency's Largest Informal Settlement.

Korogocho slum stands as a microcosm of urban challenges and development opportunities within Nairobi’s Ruaraka Constituency. This densely populated informal settlement reflects the complex socioeconomic dynamics playing out across Kenya’s urban landscape, where rapid development meets persistent inequality. Recent infrastructure initiatives and ongoing housing controversies highlight the area’s significance in broader discussions about urban planning, housing affordability, and community rights in Kenya’s capital.

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Geographical and Administrative Context.

Ruaraka Constituency, established in 2013 after being carved from the former Kasarani Constituency, encompasses five wards covering 7.20 km² within Nairobi County. The constituency has a population of approximately 192,620 residents and forms part of the larger Kasarani Sub-county. The constituency’s leadership currently falls under MP Tom Kajwang of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party.

The five wards comprising Ruaraka include:

Baba Dogo (30,741 residents across 1.95 km²)
Utalii (36,275 residents across 1.90 km²)
Mathare North (53,658 residents across 0.50 km²)
Lucky Summer (30,000 residents across 1.95 km²)
Korogocho (41,946 residents across 0.90 km²)

With 116,301 registered voters as of available records, the constituency remains an ODM stronghold, with all five ward representatives elected on the party’s ticket in the 2013 General Election.

Korogocho: Nairobi's Fourth-Largest Informal Settlement.

Korogocho stands out as Nairobi’s fourth-largest informal settlement, though population estimates vary significantly across sources. While constituency data places its population at approximately 42,000, other estimates suggest figures ranging from 120,000 to over 200,000 residents condensed into roughly 0.6-0.9 square miles.

The settlement’s history dates back to the 1970s when it was initially established by quarry workers, with the first redevelopment efforts occurring in 1987. Situated alongside the Dandora dumping site (Kenya’s largest waste disposal facility), Korogocho’s economy is partially sustained by informal waste recycling, with many residents collecting and selling plastic bags, scrap metal, and bottles from the dumpsite.

Socioeconomic Conditions and Housing Situation.

Living conditions in Korogocho reflect the challenges typical of informal settlements. Residents predominantly occupy congested mud or scrap metal shacks separated by narrow footpaths that double as sewers and drains. The area suffers from inadequate basic services:

Critical water shortages force residents to purchase water from vendors or collect it from contaminated sources
Sewerage systems are virtually nonexistent, with shallow pit latrines serving those who can afford them
Infrastructure deficiencies extend to electricity access and road networks

The settlement faces significant social challenges, including high unemployment (especially among youth), substance abuse, crime, and elevated HIV/AIDS rates that have created numerous orphaned children. Many elderly residents live in particularly dire housing conditions, caring for grandchildren whose parents have died.

Land Ownership Complexities.

Korogocho sits partly on government land and partly on private land, creating complex ownership dynamics. A notable development occurred in August 2020 when approximately 500 landowners received title deeds from then-President Uhuru Kenyatta, resolving a 45-year dispute over land ownership. However, this represents only a fraction of the estimated 2,500 landowners in the area, with approximately 800 possessing formal title deeds as of April 2025.

Housing and Land Price Trends.

While specific housing and land prices for Korogocho are not widely documented due to its informal nature, broader trends in Kenya’s real estate market provide context.

Housing Market Dynamics.

Kenya’s housing market showed mixed signals in 2024-2025. According to the Kenya Bankers Association Housing Price Index, house prices declined by 1.1% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the previous quarter, with a more significant 14.28% year-on-year decrease. This correction reflects reduced speculative buying and changing financing conditions, creating potential opportunities for homebuyers while challenging developers.

Despite these declines, the luxury housing segment has demonstrated significant growth, with housing affordability expected to improve in 2025 due to projected interest rate cuts. The Central Bank of Kenya’s shift from accommodation withdrawal to a neutral stance in monetary policy suggests potential rate reductions that could stimulate the housing market.

Land for Sale in Korogocho – Land Price Variations.

Land prices across Kenya vary dramatically based on location, with Nairobi commanding premium rates:

Prime locations near Nairobi’s CBD: KSh 80-100 million per acre
Satellite towns (Kiambu, Ngong, Ruiru): Starting at KSh 30 million per acre
Rural areas: KSh 500,000 to KSh 2 million per acre

The average price for land in Nairobi stands at approximately KSh 300 million, with variations depending on location, size, and features. While Korogocho-specific pricing isn’t documented in available data, its status as an informal settlement would generally indicate lower land values compared to formal areas of Nairobi, albeit with corresponding title security challenges.

Recent Infrastructure Developments

Despite its challenges, Korogocho has seen several notable infrastructure initiatives in recent years aimed at improving living conditions.

Street Upgrading Project

A significant infrastructure intervention came through the Korogocho Slum Upgrading Program (KSUP), which included a comprehensive Street Upgrading Project. With an investment of approximately 210 million KES (about 2 million USD), this initiative addressed multiple urban deficiencies:

Improved access roads throughout the settlement
Enhanced drainage systems
Installation of adequate street lighting
Upgrades to water and sewage infrastructure

Funded through a partnership between the Kenya-Italy Debt for Development Programme, the Italian Development Cooperation, and the Kenyan government, the project prioritized street networks to ensure circulation across all eight villages within Korogocho. Benefits extended beyond physical infrastructure to include:

Stimulation of microeconomic activity
Job creation
Improved safety perception
Creation of public meeting spaces
Better connectivity to Nairobi’s broader urban fabric

Material Recovery Facility Initiative.

A more recent development came in March 2025 with Nairobi City County breaking ground on Korogocho’s first Material Recovery Facility (MRF). This project represents a strategic approach to addressing environmental challenges while creating economic opportunities:

The facility will enable waste sorting and segregation of dry recyclables
It aims to formalize aspects of the informal waste economy
The project seeks to create jobs and provide market access for recyclable materials
Implementation partners include the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, UN-Habitat, AVSI Foundation, Kenya Climate Innovation Centre, and Miss Koch Kenya

County officials emphasized that the MRF project recognizes the vital role played by waste pickers (predominantly youth and women) in waste management, with the facility designed to uplift the community’s economic status while promoting environmental sustainability.

Broader Constituency Development Projects.

The National Government Constituencies Development Fund has allocated resources to various projects throughout Ruaraka for the 2022-2023 financial year, including several initiatives affecting Korogocho and neighboring areas:

Water infrastructure improvements at police stations
Renovation and construction projects at multiple schools
Security enhancements including perimeter wall construction

Housing Project Controversy and Community Response.

Despite these positive developments, recent tensions have emerged over proposed housing initiatives. In April 2025, Korogocho residents strongly opposed the government’s plan to construct affordable housing in the area.

The government’s proposal to build on community land by extending boundaries 30 meters from the Nairobi River sparked significant resistance from residents who feared displacement without adequate compensation or alternative housing arrangements. The situation escalated when:

Residents disrupted a public meeting organized by Ministry of Lands and Housing officials
Protesters set fire to the office of the local slum-upgrading committee
Some participants chanted anti-government slogans and demanded immediate cessation of the project.

Many landowners expressed concern that despite holding legitimate title deeds issued by the previous administration, they risked losing their properties without clear assurances of being able to access the new housing units. This controversy highlights the tension between national housing development objectives and the rights and concerns of existing community members.

The affordable housing initiative forms part of President William Ruto’s flagship programs and aligns with the Kenya Kwanza administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which prioritizes housing as a key driver of employment and urban development.

Conclusion

Korogocho represents both the persistent challenges and emerging opportunities within Nairobi’s urban landscape. As Ruaraka constituency’s largest informal settlement, it embodies the complex interplay between population density, infrastructure limitations, land ownership questions, and development aspirations.

Recent years have seen meaningful infrastructure investments through street upgrading initiatives and waste management facilities that demonstrate potential pathways for improving living conditions. However, the heated controversy surrounding proposed housing developments underscores the delicate balance required when implementing urban renewal projects in established communities.

As Kenya continues its urban development trajectory, the experiences of Korogocho offer valuable lessons about the importance of community engagement, land rights recognition, and contextually appropriate development approaches. The settlement’s evolution will likely continue to reflect broader dynamics in Kenya’s housing market, infrastructure development priorities, and approaches to addressing informal settlements across Nairobi and beyond.

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