The majority of public service vehicle drivers in Kenya have very little knowledge on first aid. When faced with minor or major vehicle accidents while at work, many depend on well wishers to come to the aid of victims. Kenya has one of the worst road safety records in the world. There were over 3,057 […]
Any Future for Nairobi’s Dandora Dump Site?
The Dandora Municipal waste dumping site is Nairobi’s main (and only official) solid waste disposal site. The former quarry comprises a 30 acre expanse located to the east of Nairobi, about 8 kilometers from the city centre. The dumpsite is surrounded by both working class estates like Kariobangi North, Dandora and Babadogo as well the […]
Nairobi and the 100 Resilient Cities Programme
More than half of the world lives in cities. Estimates indicate that by 2050 about 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Cities are the centres of civilization, commerce, innovation and culture. They have diverse populations with different needs dependent upon various variables such as age, culture and economic levels. However, they […]
Nairobi’s Long Rains: A failure in Urban Resilience?
Nairobi’s Long Rains season traditionally brings several urban challenges. A year ago, during the same season, a school bus was trapped in flooded waters and pupils had to wait for over 10 hours to be rescued. Unconfirmed reports indicate that on the same day and along the same road, one motorist died while trapped in […]
Participation: Using Social Media in the Urban Planning process
The role played by communication and participation in urban planning cannot be underestimated. Without proper communication to various stakeholders, plans and projects can easily fall prey to misunderstandings or be swayed by opponents and selfish interest groups. This predicament has been witnessed worldwide in various transportation, housing development and even urban renewal projects. As a […]
Nairobi Public Spaces: Viable or open for Grabbing?
As a means of ensuring a good quality of life for residents, city planning guidelines require provision of publicspaces in all residential areas. These include space for playgrounds, public parks, gardens and general open spaces. Public purpose land use management also provides for market centres, shopping areas and public halls In Nairobi City, most residential […]
Public vs Private Urban Housing, what direction for Nairobi, Kenya?
The recent drive towards an open market economy has led to the private sector providing various services that were traditionally under the mandate of the state or municipality. Critics, however, view this development as an opportunity for well-connected individuals to control essential services and reap profitable returns. In Nairobi, Kenya, some of the key areas […]
How Sustainable are the emerging Private Cities around Nairobi, Kenya?
Years back Ebenezer Howard proposed a ‘Garden City’ in his famous text “Garden Cities of Tomorrow. The world famous urbanist envisioned self-reliant and independent cities that are spacious and organized; have limited/controlled populace and unified land ownership. Le Corbusier later analyzed the challenges faced by increased urbanization in Europe and came up with his version […]
Urban October: Public Spaces for All
‘Urban October” was launched by UN-Habitat in 2014 to emphasize the world’s urban challenges and engage the international community towards the New Urban Agenda. Starting with World Habitat Day on 5th October and concluding with World Cities Day on 31st October under the motto “Designed to Live Together, urbanists are organizing events centered around urbanization, […]
Nairobis Tom Mboya Street: User Friendly or Not?
City streets play a major function in urban life and economy. Dynamic Streets, like those within Central Business District areas that serve multiple users can at times be said to be the life of a city. Nairobi Tom Mboya Street is a relevant example of this type of multi user street . Located at the […]
