County capitals need proper planning

Poor planning has ensured urban areas have remained tuned into intensive care unit for decades as residents grapple with deplorable social amenities, writes HAROLD AYODO

Nearly all the 175 municipalities countrywide suffer the nightmare of spontaneous growth, awful infrastructure, unco-ordinated initiatives, and weak laws.

There are now fears that the lack of urban planning tumour may transform into full blown cancer and be replicated into 47 counties capitals next year.

There are over 70 Acts of Parliament that govern urban development, which create conflicts, overlapping roles and poor co-ordination.

However, urban planning experts insist planned urban centres could rejuvenate the Kenyan economy as Nairobi alone accounts for 70 per cent of the national GDP, according to Government reports.

A recent comparative assessment by the World Bank found that infrastructure of urban areas in the country lags behind many countries in Africa.

?For instance, a paltry 45 per cent of urban inhabitants have access to safe public water supply.

Execrable planning

?Neglect in planning and investment has led 55 per cent of the urban population to live in informal settlements with poor access to public services.

?According to urban planners, lack of a policy in urban planning is attributed to the current state that is choking towns.

According to Civil Society Urban Development Programme (CSUDP) chief executive officer Prof Edward Kairu, there is a huge task to ensure proper planning of counties.

?“There is a lot we can learn from Nairobi when planning new counties countrywide before it is too late,” Prof Kairu says.

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