By ABIGAEL SUM
NAIROBI; KENYA: Uncontrolled development in Nairobi, which is stretching infrastructure, has necessitated the formulation of another master plan that would ease congestion.
Plans are under way to change the face of Nairobi to accommodate high-density structures.
Nairobi County leaders kicked off the process of formulating an Integrated Urban Development Master Plan that is set to rejuvenate the county’s economy.
Nairobi County has been operating without a plan for over 10 years after the 1973 master plan expired in 2000, during which the population had increased by a million people.
This has led to challenges such as haphazard and uncontrolled development, inadequate and dilapidated infrastructure, poor sanitation, lack of adequate and affordable public transport, poor housing, high rates unemployment and levels of poverty as well as environmental degradation among others. The plan, which is funded to a tune of Sh300 million by Japan International Cooperation Agency is expected to be rolled out in April 2014 and will be viable for the next 17 years.
Extreme heights
Speaking during the first stakeholders meeting for the Nairobi City Master Plan, Dr Joan Clos, Executive Director UN-Habitat, said there are areas that can be re-designed and improved to give room for affordable housing.
“The city provides money when it is well designed by proper urban development plan. Nairobi requires proper structure for it to develop in extreme heights,” said Clos. Nairobi County Deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke said there was lack of framework for bringing in the private sector and civil society’s resources in the entire process of plan making and implementation.
“The absence of these compounded by lack of national government’s administrative, financial and political support led to planning that alienated the people,” said Mueke.
