With the projected increases in slum population, the demand for urban upgrading interventions is expected to grow. The main aim of this study was to seek a noble effort to reduce proliferation of informal settlements and slums. The findings of this study might be useful to the Kenyan government in providing knowledge on livelihood strategies adopted by Kibera residents after slum up-grading programme. In addition, information was provided on the extent to which the identified factors influence the occupancy levels for the government to make adjustments that will ensure high occupancy levels are reported in the future.

It is estimated that over a billion people live in slums and informal settlements in the cities of the world. Urbanization is happening at a very fast rate with an estimated urban population of almost five billion projected by 2030. Most of the increasing urbanization will take place in developing countries mainly in Asia and Africa where one-third of all urban residents are estimated to fall below the poverty level. Over 300 million urban poor live in informal settlements, this population is made of over 200 million in Asia, 50 million in Latin America and over 60 million in other African cities which are experiencing high population growth (UN HABITAT, 2008). In Kenya, life is unbearable for the population that lives in the slums and informal settlements of capital city Nairobi.