Slum-Upgrade and Development in Urban Slums in the Sub-Saharan Africa

The Link Between the Slum Issue and Extreme Poverty in Kenya

Abstract

The aspects that shape the design and implementation of development aid need to change at least as dynamically as the international environment in which the actors involved are operating. Yet, the reality on the ground often seems to be that while the geopolitical space changes, certain development concepts do not. However, individual Sub-Saharan African countries are no longer silent partners in donor interests, but actors seeking equal partnerships. This paper addresses the current issues of urban segregation in Kenya while examining the structural challenges of development aid, with a particular focus on field experiences, using theories from the post-development orientation. In our paper, we use the Kenyan example to both explore the potential for development in sub-Saharan slums and, somewhat distancing ourselves from it, to articulate ethical principles that can strengthen responsible aid interventions in the context of donors