Prepared by: Mars Mesgrahl
Introduction
Through the work of MSJC’s Ecological Justice Network, many youths have gained increased agency, facilitating a big increase in the formation of community-based organizations(CBOs) amongst youths. The CBOs that we focus on in this report work with community park building, river clean-up, and urban farming as an alternative to unlawful ways of making
a living. Through interviews with community organizers and youth engaged in ecological work, we have mapped out how important this work is for young people. It enables them to make a living, as well as contributing to making Mathare a better place for the larger
community. For the groups we interviewed, the idea of starting urban farming and parks emerged throughout 2024 and became a reality after the flood and subsequent demolitions of April 2024. During this time, youths occupied the riparian land around the Mathare River to start many new farming and park projects with help from MSJC.
However, these efforts of community-building, ecological justice, and financial security for motivated young people have not gone without trouble. The youths have experienced being criminalized and profiled by police, as well as being victims of vigilante harassment.
Through our documentation, we have found that the actions conducted by vigilantes with full knowledge, and in some cases, with the help of local police, include physical violence, intimidation and threats, and destruction of property, primarily through destroying the farm and park areas cultivated by the youth groups.
In this report, we outline the injustices being faced by youth groups trying to do honest work for the betterment of the community and themselves, to amplify their voices and call for justice. In the 23 cases we documented, youths have been faced with ridicule, extortion through bribes, little or no help when the cases are reported to police, or they have not
reported the cases due to fear of being blamed and a lack of trust in the police. We further found that during instances of harassment and violence, the police often acted in tandem with the vigilantes.
In the words of Njeri Mwangi:
“There has been a shift in how the police do their dirty work after the
2010 constitution and the bill of rights. Before, the police would beat
and kill people themselves; now they know they cannot get away with
it so easily, so they often use people/thugs to carry out unlawful acts.”
Njeri Mwangi, MSJC