By Delfina Lopez Freijido
Slums present challenges to the rapidly urbanizing world. They involve multiple dimensions where problematic situations occur, especially in terms of no satisfaction and even violation of dwellers rights. Past responses to change this reality often failed because they didn’t get to target the causes of the visual reality. This has been so, because of the partial vision of slums that misses the dynamism of a system where slums are an integral component. Continue reading
Published on 3 November by Japheths Ogendi
Last month, President Kibaki signed the National Transport and Safety Authority Bill of 2012 (http://www.standardmedia.co.ke). The National Transport and Safety Authority Bill, 2012 is an Act for Parliament to provide for the establishment of the National Transport Safety Authority (NTSA), its powers and functions and for connected purposes.
The National Transport and Safety Authority Bill, 2012 is a welcome move Kenya. Continue reading
Published on 24 October 2012 by Prisca Oluoch
Above: Cycling to Stomp out Cancer event, 13/10/12, Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi
On 13 October 2012, Wheels of Africa and HENZO Kenya held a bicycle rally to raise awareness around the impacts of cancer on patients and families. HENZO Kenya, an affiliate of the Kenya Cancer Association, is a registered support group for patients of cancer, caregivers and volunteers. Since 2010, Cycling to Stomp out Cancer has been an annual event, bringing together health care professionals, community members and patients in the fight against cancer.
Wheels of Africa is dedicated to progressing the culture of cycling in Africa. Our vision is to mainstream cycling as a lifestyle and an alternative mode of transport in Africa. With this we wish to broaden access to bicycling and all its benefits through hands on programs, commuter transportation, enterprising projects and events.
Together with the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development and the Nairobi City Council, Wheels of Africa aims to increase the percentage of trips by bicycle in the city of Nairobi, while simultaneously increasing the number of kilometers of bicycle lanes in the city. The new lanes will be dubbed, “the Green Lanes”, and they will include facilities for parking and locking bicycles throughout the Nairobi metropolitan region.
These bicycle-friendly infrastructure improvements will be the first step in lobbying the city around the importance of creating a Non-motorized Transportation Master Plan for Nairobi.
Wheels of Africa is seeking research interns who can help collect baseline information for both the planning of bicycle-friendly infrastructure and a future Non-motorized Transportation Plan. We are currently seeking grant funding to carry out this work, and appreciate any contacts or public input.
The following blog entry was first published as an open letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Roads in Kenya by Architect Eric Kigada in October 2012.
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I would like to state my strong disapproval of the planned elevated highway over Uhuru Highway.
On the face of it, the elevated highway might look like a very good thing to build. Unfortunately the environmental and social impact assessment study carried out for NUTRIP did not include in the team or consult, architects and town planners. If the study team had included them, they would have told the roads ministry or at least written in their report that the elevated highway at the suggested road section is the worst possible place to build one.
I am appealing to you to reconsider building the elevated highway by considering a shift from infrastructure that enhances “automobility” to infrastructure that enhances public amenities and quality of urban living (“liveability”). Continue reading
Published on 01 October 2012 by Dr. Elliott Sclar
A 25.5 billion Kenyan Shilling loan was signed this week for construction of Kenya’s first double decker highway stretching between Nyayo Stadium and the Westlands roundabout.
The loan will also provide funding for creation of a commuter bus lane on Waiyaki Way, while supporting reforms that will allow private sector operation of commuter rail and rapid bus transportation services. In an interview by the Daily Nation on 26 September, Kenya’s Finance Minister, Njeru Githae, explained how “The project will lay the foundation for development of mass transit systems that will benefit the low-income population in Nairobi and beyond,” (http://www.nation.co.ke).
If Nairobi is to reach its 2030 goal of being a world-class city it is going to need a world-class urban transport system. A world-class urban transport system is one that provides easy, safe and affordable access across the metropolitan region for citizens from all walks of life. As cities all across the world are discovering, they cannot be world-class cities by continuing 20th century transport planning around projects of massive urban highway construction. Continue reading
Nairobi Planning Innovations was featured on a similar blog dedicated to the future of urban planning and policy in Cairo, Egypt, Cairo from Below. Contributor to Nairobi Planning Innovations, Elizabeth Marcello, wrote an article for the Cairo blog that discusses the importance of public input in urban planning, policy, and other decision-making processes. Continue reading
Posted on 01 September 2012 by Steve Mbogo in The East African
The Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha) is planning to call for proposals in November from interested concessionaires to manage the newly completed Nairobi-Thika Highway. The authority proposes the concession to run for between 20 and 30 years.
The awarding of the contract is planned for May 2013, and the toll operation is expected to start in January 2014, with the aim of raising $388 million. While the management and operation of the highway would ideally be the responsibility of the Ministry of Roads, the government has opted for a toll to service the over $300 million loans from the Africa Development Bank and China Exim Bank used in the construction of the highway. Continue reading
