Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Fides Service)- “In Nairobi the problem of homeless people is serious. The welcome rain which has come at last is a curse for slum dwellers” says Italian Consolata missionary Fr Eugenio Ferrari, national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Kenya.
“Thanks to pressure from public opinion and religious organisations, including Catholic ones, the eviction order for 300,00 slum dwellers in the capital has been withdrawn” the missionary said. “This was a good action, but not enough. The government intends to build roads, drains and supply water and electricity for the people. To do this it will have to demolish some homes which will give rise to protests. It will have to consider the rights of the slum dwellers in general and those of individuals. Most important it will have to offer alternative homes for people who forced out of their huts to make room for a road or electricity ”.
To support Nairobi slum dwellers’ rights to land and homes and call for the conversion of the foreign debt of Kenya with Italy the Campaign WNairobiW organisation has been started to co-ordinate missionaries and Italian and other associations, Christian communities in Kenya flanked by AfrikaSi, an association working in several Nairobi slums.
Started in 2004 the campaign has already obtained the suspension of forced eviction of 300,000 slum dwellers in Nairobi. Now it is working for the conversion of the foreign debt with Italy in order to “improve living conditiosn of the most vulnerable people in the capital of Kenya” a statement reads. At a meeting in January between WNairobiW! and Italian government representatives the following priorities were established: obtain guarantees for a block on demolition and eviction; set up within the agreement to convert Kenya’s foreign debt with Italy a “people’s land and home fund”; see debt conversion funds are invested to improve two slums where people are more aware and more organised”. WNairobiW said it is “necessary to reach a consensus on two key principles: land to re-urbanise in slums must be recognised as belonging to the people who live on it; the involvement of Kenyan civil society must be guaranteed with a clear, formal and effective mechanism of participation in the entire process” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 7/3/2006 righe 37 parole 462)
