Exploring the mobilities of Kenyan older people living in informal settlements using a capability approach

Despite significant discussions on transport inequalities in African cities, older people's mobility needs remain under-researched. To gain a deeper understanding of such issues, this study focuses on older people living in Kenyan informal settlements and uses the capability approach to investigate their options for mobility, activities and locations, barriers, coping strategies and unfulfilled mobility needs. The study employs a qualitative approach comprising four focus groups with 24 participants and a follow-on community engagement workshop with people aged above 50 years old living in the informal settlement of Kibera in Nairobi. The results indicate that older people face significant challenges in their everyday mobility. Living with poor health conditions, level of poverty, lack and poor quality of walking infrastructure, personal safety and ageist behaviour are the main factors shaping and affecting their mobility. The capability approach offers a framework to understand older people’s mobility practices and implications for wellbeing. It enables an analysis of how mobility is shaped by their needs, constraints and decision-making processes, and how this translates into participation in life. It also offers an exploration of how mobility enables and supports a wider capability set, outlining its multidimensional social impacts.