| dc.description.abstract | This study focuses on housing the low income groups in the Kenyan urban areas. It accepts the fact that the Government has -shown concern over the problem of housing these people. The study also takes note of the Government's positive policy to house the low income group through such programmes as upgrading, rental schemes, mortgage and Site and Service Schemes, which dominate the discussion that follow. It is observed that although Site and Service Scheme has been recommended as the main vehicle to settle the housing problem of the low income earners, it has not suceeded so far. The problem still persists. To enable an evaluation of this scheme, a specific case study in Thika's Site and Service Scheme was conducted. The method used was that of interviewing the landlords, tenants and original allottees on various aspects aimed at giving their varying opinions and perceptions of the success and failure of the scheme. Observation and also my long acquaintance with the town were an additional advantage during the evaluation. The varied perceptions were then aggregated and compared to achieve the main obstacles as seen by the different subsamples that affect the scheme. This was the means of evaluation adopted in this study. Thika was selected for this study and treated as a representative town, among others in Kenya. This was mainly because it has one of the oldest Site and Service Schemes and the largest after Nairobi. The first phase of the scheme was started in the mid 1960s. It is also at a close proximity to Nairobi, itself a large city. It was subsumed that the city problems especially in the areas of housing would be reflected in a rapidly
industrious growing town as Thika hence a need to study the town. Also, being a rapidly growing town, with most of the Also, being a rapidly growing town, with most of the population employed as industrial workers and hailing from allover the nation, Thika has a noticeable housing problem. From the findings, it is clear that the Site and Service Scheme fall short of achieving total success to settle the housing problem for the low income group. Among some of the main obstacles included: lack of enough money to put up the houses in the allotted " plots, a strong rural attachment which leads to unwillingness to participate in urban projects, building by-laws being too demanding to be afforded by the original allottees. This leads to eventual selling of the plot to other middle and upper income groups who turn out to be the landlords. The low income problem is thus left unsolved.The study therefore concludes that the present policy i.e. lito give appropriate accommodation for all the urban dwellers ", though theoretically acceptable has not been practical in achieving its objective. The site and service scheme has turned out to create a landlord class among the higher income group members. The low income earner ends up being an exploited tenant sometimes on his
"originally allotted plot which he could not manage to develop. He lives in a crowded room sometimes to the extent of living in squatter or slum areas in the town. The low income group therefore contend that so far there has been no practical positive policy to solve their escalating housing problem.
It is suggested that the Municipalities through the Local Government machinery should look for funds so as to reasonably subsidize the building costs for those originally allotted. Soft mortgage schemes should be encouraged by the Municipality. The industrialists could also be applying for a plot to put houses for their workers when applying for the industrial premises. The rent tribunal could be more articulate in determining the fair rents that the private developers ought to charge the tenants. The tenants on the other hand could change their strong rural attachment and show willingness to own property (house) in the urban areas. They could also form a pressure group to negotiate for subsidy and soft loans to develop plots once allotted. Those originally allotted plots could be allowed to put up temporary houses. These combined efforts may eventually solve the housing problem in our urban areas which is undoubtedly on top of all the others. | en |
