The Nairobi gubernatorial aspirant Agnes Kagure has emerged as a key name in the growing conversation about the challenges facing residents of Nairobi’s informal settlements, as community members continue to demand better services and stronger leadership. Residents spoke openly about their struggles during a recent food donation exercise in Land Mawe, where families gathered to receive support from Mbogi ya Mama, an initiative focused on helping vulnerable families across Nairobi’s 54 informal settlements.
The residents said life has become increasingly difficult for many families living in the city’s informal settlements. They pointed to challenges such as limited access to clean water, poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare, education challenges and food insecurity. For families surviving on small and uncertain incomes, meeting basic needs has become a daily struggle.
Many residents said they live from one day to the next, with little money left after paying rent and buying food. Some depend on casual jobs, small businesses and other informal sources of income that are not guaranteed. When the cost of food, transport and other basic goods goes up, these families are often forced to make difficult choices about what to buy and what to leave out.
Parents said feeding their children remains one of their biggest concerns. At the same time, young people in the settlements continue to face unemployment and limited access to skills training and other opportunities that could help them build better lives. Without reliable jobs or sources of income, many young people remain trapped in the same cycle of poverty affecting their families.
During the food donation exercise in Land Mawe, residents also raised questions about the role of county leadership in addressing these problems. They said informal settlements should receive greater attention because they are home to a large number of Nairobi residents who struggle to access basic services.
According to the residents, leadership should not only be about making promises or announcing development plans. They want to see projects that directly improve their daily lives. They mentioned roads that become difficult to use during rainy weather, unreliable water supply and the high cost of accessing water in some areas. They also called for better sanitation facilities, improved healthcare services and more opportunities for residents to earn a decent income.
For many residents, these are not new concerns. They are issues they deal with every day. A mother who cannot find enough money to buy food, a young person who cannot secure employment, or a family forced to depend on expensive water supplies experiences these challenges in a very personal way.
Mbogi ya Mama has attempted to respond to some of the immediate needs through food donations and other forms of assistance. During the Land Mawe exercise, families received foodstuffs that offered temporary relief at a time when the cost of living continues to put pressure on households.
The organisers said the initiative will continue visiting different informal settlements and supporting families facing hardship. For residents who received the donations, the assistance provided some relief and served as a reminder that their struggles can still attract attention from members of the community willing to help.
However, residents were also clear that donations alone cannot solve the wider problems affecting informal settlements. While food support is important, they said long-term solutions require proper planning, investment and accountability from those entrusted with running the county.
They want county leaders to spend more time in informal settlements, listen to residents and understand the problems before making decisions. They also want leaders to return after making promises and show what has been done. For them, meaningful leadership should be measured by the changes people can see and experience in their homes and neighbourhoods.
Residents believe better access to clean water, healthcare, education, sanitation, roads and employment opportunities would have a bigger and lasting impact on their lives than temporary assistance. They want their children to have a better chance at education and their young people to have opportunities to work, gain skills and become independent.
For Agnes Kagure, the outreach comes at a time when she is seeking to position herself for the Nairobi gubernatorial race.
Her engagement with residents through Mbogi ya Mama gives her an opportunity to connect with communities facing some of the city’s toughest challenges.
However, residents will be looking beyond food donations and short-term assistance. They will want to see whether Kagure can turn her growing grassroots presence into a clear plan for better services, jobs, healthcare, water and sanitation across Nairobi.
With the gubernatorial contest taking shape, her ability to listen to residents and present practical solutions could become an important part of the conversation around her political bid.
