By BMJ Muriithi in New York and Peter Orengo

Nairobi residents can now walk heads high and be proud of their city after acquiring an improved status.

Early this week, the United Nations (UN) International Civil Service Commission elevated Nairobi from category ‘C’ to ‘B’ at the headquarters in New York.

In a press statement, which The Standard has obtained, the UN says it is satisfied with the Government’s effort to make the capital city safer.

And according to the Human Development Index, Kenya has moved from a low ranking of 0.489 in 2001 to 0.541. The UN says the rise indicates an improvement in the quality of life.

The country has also realised significant economic growth from a low rate of 0.6 in 2002 to a high of 7 per cent in 2007.

Original category

And speaking to The Standard from his office in New York, Kenya’s Ambassador to the UN Zachary Muburi-Muita said Nairobi’s elevation means a lot.

" I am delighted after the UN elevated Nairobi to level "B" UN duty station," he said.

Mr Muburi-Muita added, "We have worked tirelessly to realise this and I can assure you we are not going to rest until our city reverts to its original category "A" status."

To the UN workers in Kenya the categorisation removes the country from high security risk, meaning they will not receive risk allowance.

A UN spokesman in Nairobi Pedro Maximilla said the gesture shows the body is comfortable working in Kenya.

Mr Muita, however, said this should not be misconstrued as something punitive since Nairobi has witnessed significant improvement.

In determining the degree of hardship, consideration is given to local conditions of safety and security, health care, education, housing, climate, isolation and availability of the basic amenities acceptable to UN staff and their families.

Duty stations are categorised on a scale of difficulty from "A" to "E" with "A" being the least difficult.

Prior to 1994, Nairobi was classified as a category "A" station together with other UN headquarter duty stations; New York, Geneva and Vienna. From 1994 to 2000, it was categorised as "B", but in 2001 it was moved to category "C".

Deteriorating security and health care were the main two factors that influenced the move despite Government’s denial.

Briefing the UN Security Council on his trip to Kenya in February 2008, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes said the UN would look hard at how to reorient its development programmes for Kenya.

"The responsibility of the politicians on all sides was great, as was the need for continuing strong support from the international community," Mr Holmes said following peace deal after post-election violence.

Transport hub

The violence left more than 1,300 people dead and 500,000 displaced.

Holmes also highlighted the considerable regional implication of the crisis, because of Kenya’s long standing role as East Africa’s main transport hub.

That also meant many aid and humanitarian operations, which relied on Mombasa were at risk of being affected by the violence and disruptions.

Among the secondary effects of violence, he mentioned was the rising fuel prices in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.

Aid agencies had to look for alternative routes, but a peaceful Kenya remained by far the preferred option.

There was a huge amount at stake.

The categorisation of duty stations is for purposes of implementing the hardship scheme, and it involves the assessment of the overall quality of life at duty stations.

The UN department is an independent body established in 1974 to regulate and co-ordinate conditions of service of staff in the United Nations common system, while promoting and maintaining high standards in the international civil service.