Nairobi’s new dream and why skeptics will ‘wait and see’

When Nairobi was handed a new integrated urban development master plan a few days ago, more than a few people raised their heads from whatever they were doing to see what the fuss was all about.

This for a good reason. Global indices continuously list Nairobi as one of Africa’s cities to watch, but it compares woefully against its global competitors. In Africa, Cape Town would easily put Nairobi to shame.

Winging it through the years without a proper plan has been cited as one of the reasons the city in the sun found itself in the shadow of rubbish heaps, its residents taking cover from flying toilets. Those who sat up to take note would not fail to be impressed by the proposals of the new plan on paper. They are to be found right next to this editorial, so I will not harp on them. The plan, however, comes at a time when many, experts and laymen alike, are likely to adopt a skeptic stance. Again for good reason.

When the — now defunct — Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development launched a plan for the metropolitan region, there was  a buzz as to what this would mean for the capital city and outlying areas.

Nothing substantial has been seen to date, and it is not clear what future is for the elaborate plan, as different counties in the metropolitan region pull in different directions. It is not clear how many of these counties are borrowing from the plan to harmonise their own development. Others may argue that existing urban planning laws are rarely enforced.

That Nairobi needs a new urban planning blueprint is not in question, but it is its implementation that will make all the difference. Otherwise, it will remain a fancy point of reference gathering dust on even dustier shelves.