Rush to cash in on rising housing demand leaves no space to breathe

The newly refurbished Kenya National Theatre

As developers rush to cash in on the rising housing demand, areas that had earlier been zoned for urban and neighbourhood parks and public playgrounds have diminished, pushing residents to look for alternatives, writes AUSTINE OKANDE

It is a sunny Saturday. Men and women, mostly in their 20s and 30s, sit in the auditorium watching artistes perform on stage. There is the occasional murmur amid muffled conversation. Outside in the hot sun, more sit in and on their cars; others stand in small groups chatting or taking swigs from drinks in disposable cups.