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Research note · May 24, 2026

Why flood risk in Mathare is a systemic urban condition

Field insights from URESA-LAB’s Kenya mission in Mathare.

The Kenya Mathare mission combines quantitative data collection, direct observation and qualitative interviews to understand flood risk in daily urban conditions.

The work confirms that flood risk is not solely hydrological. It is produced through the interaction of settlement morphology, infrastructure deficits, waste management practices and social inequalities.