NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 28 – A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Human Rights and Policy Studies (CHRIPS) has exposed the harsh realities of insecurity and conflict in Nairobi’s urban slums of Kawangware and Korogocho.
CHRIPS, an international African research center based in Kenya, revealed residents living in the above urban slums lack trust in state institutions and depend mostly on non-state security mechanisms.
Those interviewed stated that despite frequent experiences with crime, only a few locals reported fear of experiencing crime, pointing out that insecurity has become the norm.
“The survey which covered 800 respondents reveals that high insecurity is a significant concern. Despite frequent experiences with crime, respondents reported relatively low levels of fear of experiencing crime, pointing to the normalization of insecurity,” the report revealed.
It indicated that residents in Korogocho and Kawangware have low trust in official security authorities, with only a few being familiar with community policing.
The report showed that despite the low trust in official security, 80 percent of residents in Korogocho and 61 percent in Kawangware said people only turn to the police in conflicts over crime.
However, the local administration was considered more relevant for these conflicts in Kawangware than in Korogocho.
“The report highlights that residents in Korogocho and Kawangware have low trust in official security authorities. Few respondents were familiar with community policing, which contrasts with official government policy that emphasizes community policing as a key component of the security infrastructure,” the research stated.
The study also identified recurring gendered trends, with women rating their experience of living in the slum settlement as less favorable than men.
Women were also reported to have witnessed or experienced crime and reported higher levels of fear.
“Women, on average, rated their living conditions lower than men, saw fewer positive developments in their area of residence, and expressed more fear of insecure housing conditions,” the report concluded.
