Abstract
Nairobi remains one of the world’s most intractable urban capitals, despite or as a result of a century of planning efforts. Development plans for the East African capital have been developed, repeatedly and sporadically, since 1898. Their implementation has been piecemeal and incomplete. These plans have ranged from thematic (rail and transport) strategies to full Master Plans. Nairobi has a pre-oill planning history, an automobile-based (and oil-driven) present form, and -- as this panel will explore -- the potential for a post-oil future that makes public spaces more green and accessible. An overview of the current state of Nairobi is a cautionary tale in what happens when land uses, public amenity users, and modes of transport all fight for space in the city, with few uniformly enforced rules in the absence of coherent Master Planning. Unsurprisingly, the losers are the least powerful -- the poor and the pedestrians, two groups that overlap significantly. Disregarded by planning efforts, massive flows of pedestrians take to Nairobi’s streets in a pre-dawn and rush-hour exodus from the outskirts of town and the soul of the slums, en route to the leafy green inner suburbs and CBD, where domestic and service jobs respectively,are concentrated. Some walk for several kilometers to and from work each day, others walk between public van (matatu) stops to make connections all over the city. These human flows are not accounted for in the current state of city development. The pedestrian realm is largely unplanned and unsafe. It is common to see walking multitudes dashing over barriers and across divided highways or walking in the roadway with cars and heavy trucks to avoid open manholes, sidewalks that are broken, encroached, or non-existent. The pedestrian zones lack shade, green space, and options for resting. Bicycle lanes are rare and those that do exist, are constantly encroached by motorized transit -- often by the city’s cadre of aggressive motorcycle taxis known as boda bodas. The quality of the public realm is further reflected in the lack of publicly accessible green spaces. Green spaces integrated into the pedestrian realm are far too rare. In a post-oil future, Nairobi would confront the urgent need to support non-motorized transport options as an economic imperative. According to a World Bank study, the average household can access only 2 out of every 10 formal jobs within an hour of either walking or using public transport. Households that own a car can access 90% of formal jobs in the same time period. In a post-oil future, connecting residents to employment will be a formidable challenge, and, at the same time, a tremendous opportunity to reimagine and integrate green space with non-motorized transit zones such as sidewalks and dedicated cycling lanes. This presentation will explore Nairobi’s potential to re-green in a post-oil paradigm. Beginning with an overview of pre-oil planning for colonial Nairobi, we will present an analysis of the current situation followed by existing and future opportunities to revive and develop articulated and essential green spaces in post-oil urban planning. Three panelists will discuss these topics, directed by a moderator, in a 90 minute session.
