Sofiya Nzau, the singer known for ‘Mwaki,’ has criticized the government regarding the shelter crisis in Mathare.

‘Mwaki’ singer Sofiya Nzau has joined advocacy efforts as Nairobi grapples with the mass displacement caused by recent heavy flooding.

Commenting on the situation in Mathare, Nzau criticized the government for its insufficient support in resettling residents who were forced to evacuate at the beginning of May.

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During a recent visit to Mathare, the ‘Mwanake’ singer found the situation worse than she anticipated.

“We discovered that the situation in Mathare is really dire. Many families have lost their homes and loved ones to the floods. Some are separated, with wives living in churches and husbands in mosques,” she said in a video posted on Wednesday. “The people of Mathare need shelter, but the government is not helping. Affordable houses are available, but they are not being provided to the displaced residents.”

Nzau, in collaboration with the Mathare Social Justice Centre, is raising funds to construct temporary shelters to alleviate overcrowding in the few available living spaces for displaced persons.

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“We need to build something for them to sleep in while they figure out their lives, as many have lost their jobs,” she appealed.

In his Labour Day speech on May 1, 2024, President Ruto announced that the National Housing Fund would prioritize building homes for those displaced from riparian lands and low-cost housing projects due to the April/May flooding crisis. On May 3, 2024, he ordered the Ministry of Interior to ensure the evacuation and relocation of those displaced.

CS Kithure Kindiki confirmed in a May 4, 2024 notice that the government had set up 138 camps in 18 counties to accommodate 62,061 individuals from 14,771 households. By May 6, 2024, 181,000 people from 40,000 households living in Nairobi riparian reserves had been permanently vacated. CS Kindiki noted that by May 31, 2024, all 40,000 households would receive a one-off Sh10,000 eviction stipend for their relocation.