Since the new administration took over in 2022, Kenya’s capital Nairobi has become indistinguishable from impoverished or war-torn African towns.
An alliance between an incompetent county government and a clueless/unpopular national government has led to a rapid decline in infrastructure and services within the seat of power, and there doesn’t seem to be any coherent plan to reverse this.
In a city/county with close to 2000km of tarmac roads, the majority in poor shape, and thousands more unpaved, Kenyans don’t often seem impressed when the governor or national bodies like KURA post updates of the single digit KM they’ve tarmacked or restored, almost in a mocking way.
It is the realization that at this pace, our grand children will still be living in the same filthy city Sakaja and Ruto left us. Disheartening even more is the lack of a serious comprehensive plan to transform the city in the sun.
The situation is so bad that even COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli, who has previously referred to Governor Sakaja as his ‘son’, strongly attacked him for this transparent incompetence.
Atwoli also launched a scathing attack on the governor of Mombasa, condemning the deteriorating state of cleanliness in the two major cities. In a passionate address, Atwoli described Mombasa as “the filthiest city in the world” and Nairobi as “the dirtiest city in East Africa.”
Atwoli, known for his fiery rhetoric and strong opinions, lamented the decline of Nairobi, a city he has repeatedly referred to as “home” and where he was born.
Drawing attention to Mombasa’s status as Kenya’s tourism gateway, Atwoli expressed dismay over its unkempt state, which he attributed to poor leadership under young governors.
“This is when you tell me about young people? Hopeless, unbelievable,” he exclaimed.
The trade unionist also painted a grim picture of Nairobi, the nation’s capital and center of power, where infrastructure issues such as poor drainage, lack of traffic lights, and unpainted buildings have worsened.
Atwoli compared Nairobi unfavorably to smaller cities in West Africa, like Accra, Ghana, and Lomé, Togo, where he claimed urban infrastructure is more organized.
The state of roads in Nairobi’s ‘upscale’ Kilimani neighborhood.
Supposedly Nairobi’s upscale neighborhood of Kilimani.
The road condition is dire, very bad.
Looks like a slum #UmojaNews pic.twitter.com/IPQ6OI9wfv
— Umoja News (@umoja_news) October 21, 2024
“We still have traffic police officers on the roads in this age when other cities have advanced traffic management systems,” he pointed out, citing Nairobi’s chaotic matatus, hawkers, and poor pavements as indicators of governance failure.
In contrast, Atwoli praised Kisumu as “the cleanest city in the country,” followed by Kilifi at the coast, urging leaders to emulate these examples. “Kisumu is a model of what our cities can achieve,” he stated, underlining the importance of prioritizing urban cleanliness and organized infrastructure.
The remarks are likely to fuel debate over urban governance and the performance of youthful leaders in managing Kenya’s flagship cities. Nairobi and Mombasa, both vital to Kenya’s economy, face mounting criticism over waste management, traffic congestion, and deteriorating public spaces.
While the governor of Nairobi may be limited by what he can achieve based on the budget and scope of responsibilities, Sakaja and his predecessors have all failed to aggressively change the revenue prospects of Kenya’s capital.
There has been little talk of how Nairobi can be transformed greatly, and very many small talks about piecemeal infrastructural measures, often contracted to briefcase contractors to extract public funds.
Perhaps playing the old tribal/regional political games, President Ruto has also completely forgotten about Nairobi. A melting pot that almost showed him dust on June 25.
As long as Nairobi remains filthy with no genuine effort to restore it, the ‘must go’ anger towards this government by Nairobians will continue. And the rest of Kenyans will continue to take Nairobi’s lead.
And if you’re not pissed enough, please watch this video of what Addis Ababa, a city supposedly ‘less prestigious’ than Nairobi is doing.
Check out the Dubai-esque pedestrian walkways, bike lanes, & covered trenches; and compare that to the kienyeji work Sakaja and KURA have been undertaking in Nairobi, perhaps at a cost several times more than Addis. Then take a few moments to weep for Nairobi.
City Hall and Executive corruption is catching up with us, and Nairobi will continue suffering because of it.
And here’s a clip of someone analyzing Nairobi footpaths.
Walking on Nairobi roads as a pedestrian is an extreme sport.
Pavements & walkways are infested by: Boda riders, Small Traders, Car bazaars Parking, Poor design..
Time for action!
Nai lazima iWork@Ma3Route @KURAroads@047County
@Roads_KE
@kipmurkomen
@SakajaJohnson pic.twitter.com/kAx4dUbzor— Horack_K (@horack_k) October 11, 2023
