Can the real Nairobi stand up?

GOING NOWHERE: A traffic jam on Nairobi’s Uhuru Highway. This is a daily occurrence on many city roads, robbing the economy of billions of shillings annually. [Photo: FILE/standard]

What is Nairobi’s character? For many a resident, the city’s character is embodied by traffic jams, the din of rowdy matatus and mounds of garbage that mesh into a heady mix of questionable toxicity. Throw in the resigned acceptance of those who live here and you have an ‘authentic’ Nairobi experience.

Not so for international researchers, however, who give the bustling capital glowing ratings report after report. The green foliage and the fact that Nairobi is the only city with a national park within its boundaries earned it the dual identity of “the green city in the sun” and “the safari capital of the world”.