This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
On October 16, 2016, Mathare's harsh realities were captured through the lens of photographer Dennis Onsong'o.
Two groups in Mathare's Mashimoni area have been at odds over the management of a toilet, a dispute that has left residents divided.
The youth group claims they took over the toilet's management after its completion by the National Youth Service, only for the older men to show up and try to take it away.
"These toilets were built by the NYS cohorts. And after completion, they were handed over to the community, that is where we took over the management only for these men to show up and try to take them away from us," stated one of the youths.
The older men, however, have filed a report at the Jonsaga police station, painting the youths as criminals, despite having another toilet that generates income for them.
"If you go to Jonsaga police station, you will find a report filed by these guys there. And these are guys who are already established. Why can’t they just let us manage the toilets," the youths ask.
The toilet business in Mathare's slums is a lucrative venture, given the high population of individuals living in houses without toilets.
Similar clashes over toilet management have been reported in the Nairobi CBD, where two groups clashed over the management of CBD toilets in July last year.
