BLOG: Aerial video of the poverty divide in Nairobi an eye opener – VIDEO
You really won’t believe it unless you see it, this video exposes some of the effects that corruption has had on our city. It is the kind of thing that makes you understand why we need more Boniface Mwangi’s championing the rights of the poor.
The clip shot from a chopper, is an aerial view of Nairobi showing on one side the different middle class estates with all their amenities like hospitals, Schools recreational facilities etc. The other side is a sea of cramped tin roofs of the Kibera slums where hard working Kenyans struggle to live under a dollar a day.
DISTURBING IMAGE
The most disturbing image is that of Kabarnet gardens, the residence of former president Daniel Moi calls home. Its expansive estate has lush acacia trees, a giant swimming pool and massive buildings that could easily be mistaken for a school.
Yet at the very edge of this excess luxury is the Kibera slums, where families of 10 share a single room.
Of course, we cannot punish success; there are those who have earned their wealth through hard work and dedication. Those should be allowed to enjoy their wealth, but at the same time encouraged to share it with the less fortunate.
However, there are those who acquire their wealth through corruption and further deepen the divide. Take for instance the Sh5 billion shilling Mafia Scandal that was in the news a few weeks ago. That money was supposed to help the poor access health, pay the doctors and reduce their financial burdens.
DEEPER INTO POVERTY
Instead, it will probably build more luxurious-houses and drive the shanty house dwellers deeper into poverty as they do harambee’s for their sick neighbors.
To get a better view of what equity and integrity looks like, compare this clip with an aerial view of London, New York or Los Angeles. You will see a city that is well planned, where zoning laws are respected and corrupt developers don’t exist. You will see a city where public land is not grabbed but used for essential public amenities. You will see cities that are well planned that from the air, they look like drawings sketched out with a ruler from end to end.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but this video is worth at least ten if not a hundred thousand.
