The United Nations Habitat has raised concerns over what it termed as wealthy Kenyans deserting their posh homes and moving to slum areas.
UN noted that the wealthy individuals were doing this to put up rental structures, shops and even avoid taxes.
They also claimed that the slums were providing a safe haven for those rich people who were engaged in illegal activities.
UN-Habitat Assistant Secretary-General in charge of human development in Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific, Leonard Ognimba, claimed that the rich were renting out their posh homes in the suburbs and moving to the slums to make more money.
“We’ve seen expensive vehicles parked in slums,” Ognimba noted.
"The paradox of becoming poor to grow richer, and its a challenge. We want to upgrade the slums so there is no back and forth movement,” he added.
Raphael Obonyo, a policy specialist and member of The UN-Habitat youth advisory board revealed that it was common nowadays to see the wealthy move to Kibera, Korogocho and Mathare.
Daily Nation reported that with the security concerns in the slums, the UN claims that such individuals work with local vigilantes to get the protection they require.
“Poverty does not affect people in the same way. People are in the slums for different reasons and they have their own ways of fitting in,” Obonyo added.
“Some were born there but refused to move out despite amassing wealth,” he continued.
This development was said to be a big blow to the poor as the rich end up being the beneficiaries of the slum upgrading schemes.
The UN also noted that the wealthy Kenyans in slums were set to benefit from the affordable housing meant for the poor.
