Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:14:16 -0500 [02:14:16 PM CST]
From: “Tocho, David”
Subject: RE: De-congesting Nairobi
The way I see it:
1. There has to be a perfect mode of Transportation especially Roads, that way a manufacturer can be based in Nairobi but parts are manufactured in different parts of the country spreading employment hence de-congestation.
2. Accountability has to prevail for our country to succeed. Unnecessary road blocks, too much bureaucracy make people believe that one can only succeed in Nairobi.
3. We have to zone our cities to separate business and residential areas. (One of my friends got so shocked when his next door neighbor decided to turn his condo into a bakery).
4. Three quarters of tax collected in other cities should be retained in those cities for development and job creation.
5. More educated people have to be elected in the councils for better economic focusing and development for the cities. (today we have a bunch of illiterate thieves who are only interested in generating wealth for themselves). Kisumu city is an example of that. Being next to the second largest fresh water lake in the world, water is still a very scarce commodity in Kisumu.
Kenyans need to have an attitude overhaul. Devolution will not help if we still have the same attitude of grabbing. Dressing hyena in a goat skin and sending it to Kisumu does not change its regular appetite, it will always be the same greedy hyena in a different city.
DT
From: William ODuor.
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2009 1:19 PM
Subject: De-congesting Nairobi
Dear all,
Many developed and developing economies do have strong urban decentralization policies to de-congest their capitals and major urban centres. This is normally done to help decentralize wealth and increase local populations ability to engage in meaningful and rewarding economic activities within their own towns, cities and villages. While this is done, the country develops equally, industries and small towns become good alternatives to the bustle of Big city environment. They attract industries and other forms of investment thus improving the local economic base. For this type of vision to be realized, the people needs to know the true meaning of what I describe as Nairobi-Kenya-Kenya-Nairobi problem. It is my opinion that the people of Kenya needs to do something about the mess that is Nairobi today. Is there any benefit of having Nairobi as the only place where every Tom Dick and Harry can find work or operate an enterprise. Decentralization often involves simultaneously transferring to rural governments both expenditure, real power and administrative responsibility for specific public goods and services. How far have we pursued this idea as people of Kenya? As you are well aware, Nairobi is congested; slums go without water, decent toilets, drainage system etc. What this means is that, the slum dwellers often go without basic vital human services i.e. lack of quality education for their kids, healthcare etc. based on this brief background, I would like to hear from my fellow commentetors about what needs to be done to decongest Nairobi, Is it transfering the seat of the government? Is it real devolution that is> empowering, Mombassa, Nakuru, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nyeri, Isiolo, Kitui, Busia, Kakamega etc?
Thank you
W. ODuor
True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” Dr.Martin Luther King Jr.