Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has declared war against criminal corruption within his own governing regime, but in his battle for the hearts and minds of Africa’s largest urban slum, Kenyatta has turned to an unlikely ally: a group of former criminals.
The four-party “Jubilee” coalition has promised housing upgrades, infrastructure projects and better services in Nairobi’s famous Kibera slum, home to a widely disputed number of people that range between 800,000 and 1.5 million. The settlement is in the early stages of a major face-lift — at least according to official plans and rhetoric — and a group of “reformed” young thieves, bandits and criminals is providing some of the manpower and organization for the effort.
The Youth Reform Self-Help Group was originally founded in 2001, when Mohammed Abdulai and six others saw one of their friends murdered and decided a criminal life in Kibera held little long-term promise.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.