Placemaking in Kibera: Spatial Justice Amongst Dispossession and Displacement

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DeGrauw, Anna
- Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Political Science

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Human rights articles in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya institutionalize freedom from discrimination, security from violence, and compensation for property loss. Demolition projects violate these human rights. This article analyzes the land commission acts that legally permit such demolition projects to occur. Demolition projects destroy not only physical constructions, but also social cohesion within that space. Although there is destruction of space, there is also revival of space. Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are active participants in placemaking and in seeking spatial justice. This case study is focused on Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi County. The article begins with a historical analysis of Nairobi city in the context of urbanization and demolition projects and introduces the theme of seeking spatial justice (Soja 2010). Demolition projects pre-dating the 2010 Constitution of Kenya in Kibera are discussed. The article analyzes human rights articles and land commission acts in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya, in addition to how placemaking is involved in the process. Finally, it examines how CBOs are involved in placemaking efforts in Kibera through interviews with community leaders. Space and place stretch beyond mere physical geography and include the complexities of power and social cohesion, even in the face of land policies that contribute to dispossession and displacement for some Kenyan citizens.

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