The City of Nairobi has recently undertaken a vigorous initiative aimed at reclaiming wetlands. This is part of a wider city regeneration campaign by the Central Government. The campaign includes improving of the urban transport system, affordable housing and cleaning the Nairobi River basin. The strategy is well intentioned although critics disagree with the manner […]
Nairobi City: Moving Backwards in Mobility and Access?
The City of Nairobi is believed to experience some of the longest personal travel time periods globally. This situation applies regardless of the means used; public, private or non motorized. The result is perennial delays in public and personal schedules, time wastage in transit, human stress and occasional accidents as road users try to force […]
NTV Kenya Documentary on Nairobi Transport
‘How powerful cartels ruined Nairobi’s transport sector’ A very good Documentary produced by NTV -Kenya. It gives an in depth analysis of Nairobi’s Transportation, explaining its transformation from a well organized public system to a paratransit.
African Cities, Please Change the Narrative on Non Motorized Transit!
Non Motorized Transport means have gradually gained popularity in several of the world cities. In countries like the Netherlands, modes such as cycling are a way of life. In other cities such as Bogota, pedestrianization of streets has been promoted as a means of improving mobility and retail business. The promotion of Non Motorized Transport […]
Nairobi: Mixed Use Zones are Redefining the City
Both Homer Hoyt’s Sector Theory of Urban Development and Ernest Burgess’ Concentric Zone Theory highlight how cities grow outward from a core district (the Central Business District) towards the periphery with distinct land use zones. Without good land use management, cities run the risk of growing too far out, a concept known as urban sprawl. Sprawl […]
Nairobi, Kenya, faces a Growing Challenge of Noise Pollution
Noise Pollution is defined as a form and level of environmental sound that is generally considered likely to annoy, distract or even harm other people. The sounds we hear become noise when they are unwanted, that is, when they interfere with thinking, concentrating, working, talking, listening, or sleeping. By virtue of rapid and continuous growth, […]
Nairobi: How can buses help decongest?
There has been lots of talk over the last few years about ‘decongesting’ the city of Nairobi. Unfortunately most of it has been done on paper with the few practical attempts towards ‘decongesting’ proving to be either short term or complete failures. Nearly all of these proposals have been dubbed as ‘Quick wins’ focusing on diverting […]
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, […]
Planners: Does Security in Urban Centres begin with you?
Innovative approaches to Urban Security In addition to the visible challenges of mobility, human settlements and environmental sustainability, city planners have to think about Urban Security. Cities have been said to the “honeypot of criminal activities where incidents of muggings, car-jacking, house burglaries and occasional hooliganism are common. . Recent times have also seen cities become […]
When the call to drive at 30 kph in Nairobi, Kenya is necessary!
Over 1.24 million people die and between 20 and 50 million are injured on the worlds roads annually. The largest portion of this burden is borne by those living in low and middle income countries. In Kenya, over 3000 people die annually on the roads and nearly double that are injured. A large number of […]
