PLAN TO TRANSFORM NAIROBI UNVEILED

DAILY NATION
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU
December 15 2008

Metropolis will introduce new trains as part of grand vision
A scheduled “smart” bus transport service to ply the city routes; a light rail transport system connecting all the major suburbs within Nairobi and a business park at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

All these are part of a grand plan to transform the city of Nairobi into a major regional business and tourism hub. The plan, known as the new Nairobi Metro 2030 Strategy, was launched in Nairobi on Monday in Nairobi.

Universities
It seeks to build new local universities and satellite campuses of world-class universities in America and Europe as part of a plan to build a Sh2.2 trillion higher education market that will attract students from all over the world.

The plan envisages a vast metropolis extending all the way to Limuru, Machakos, Ruiru, Kangundo, Thika and as far as Namanga on the Kenya-Tanzania Border.
The minister for Nairobi Metropolitan Development, Mr Mutula Kilonzo, says the entire plan will cost Sh33.2 trillion.

However, he did not make it clear how this money is to be raised considering that Kenya’s Budget for the current financial year is about Sh700 billion.

At that rate, it could take the country 47 years to realise this dream, using all the money meant for the national Budget. But then, Mr Mutula is seeking to achieve the dream city status by 2030 — 20 years from now.

The vision for the city has exceeded the earlier goal of restoring Nairobi’s reputation as “the green city in the sun”. The new goal is to make Nairobi “a world-class African metropolis.”

Key goals
Among the key goals of the strategy is for Kenya to host the All Africa Games in 2015and the Commonwealth games in 2018. The ambitious plan aims to create 100,000 new jobs by 2012 by tapping into the fast-growing Information Communication Technology sector.

In terms of business investments, Sh133 billion is required to automate the traffic management system and develop infrastructure.

The Nairobi River will also be cleaned up as part of a broader campaign to reduce pollution and protect the environment.

The Nairobi Metropolitan region covers 15 local authorities among them Thika, Machakos, Tala-Kangundo, Limuru, Kiambu and Ol Kejuado. Others are Masaku, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Karuri, Mavoko and Nairobi itself.

Addressing the public during the launch, President Kibaki asked local authorities to manage their revenue more prudently.

“It will be necessary to place these local authorities under a common Nairobi Metropolitan governance framework,” he said.

However, he said the councils under the metropolis would remain independent and continue with service provision.

COMMENTS:

Submitted by kenmare69
Posted December 16, 2008 11:51 PM

When I was a kid in the 80s, I used to hear KANU’s bullhorn blaring with the promise that by the year 2000, all Kenyans would have access to piped water, and rural electrification would be a done deal. Of course, that turned out to be a pipe dream. I think this Nairobi Metro 2030 aspiration is a good thing and I’m optimistic it can materialize. I only hope that Mutula and his team know how to exorcise the kind of demons that clogged the pipe to prevent KANU’s 2000 dream from flowing forth.

Submitted by wuod_aketch
Posted December 16, 2008 10:15 PM

Why not just stop building any new structures in Nairobi and change the capital to Kisumu. It is the most practical and closest city, if we consider our three neighbours Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda.

Submitted by maziwa_lala
Posted December 16, 2008 09:23 PM

When we go beyong planning into executing the plans? Since I remember we have come up with a million plans and none seem to have worked. I will only be convinced once the plan is put to work

Submitted by josmuk
Posted December 16, 2008 09:07 PM

I guess finance was not part of the curriculum in law school Hon Mutula. We really appreciate the vision but, aren’t you forgetting reality Mheshimiwa? With a global financial crisis, where do you intend to get the funds? And even if you do, I’m worried about how Garissa will look after 47 years of turning Nairobi to a Manhattan! We Kenyans (excluding the MPS) are still in a third world country. Please, concentrate on more essential stuff like bringing down the prize of unga! Please!

Submitted by gibs_808
Posted December 16, 2008 08:52 PM

These are just stories to make newspaper and Tv headlines!these are all ideas built on whims.stop leaving in illusions!you want to establish a metropolitan of ove 160km radii yet the city center is raided in daylight!talk common sense please. you are fooling none except yourselves!losers!!

Submitted by ajatanda
Posted December 16, 2008 08:43 PM

Another reason why MPs need to start paying taxes so that we can build our nation..

Submitted by jacky
Posted December 16, 2008 07:39 PM

Sounds like a good plan, but doesnt sound practical with the current situation

Submitted by kariste72
Posted December 16, 2008 06:56 PM

There is nothing wrong with dreaming but dreams must be seen as dreams. Does anyone recall mid 80s being promised piped water and ectricity for every home? Recently there was the grand plan of transforming Mombasa's mama ngina drive into a fantastic shopping and social space. These and many more were made in the heat of election, soon to be forgotten! I say concentrate genuinely on the things that matter for a poor country and in every region!!!

Submitted by umeme
Posted December 16, 2008 06:43 PM

There will be no great progress made unless the capital is moved from Nairobi to somewhere else. Influx of people from all over the country will continue to increase and therefore the little gain achieved by better planning will be erased.

Submitted by kamaujm
Posted December 16, 2008 06:31 PM

First feed your people before thinking of building a city of its own!What a wastage of time and money!

Submitted by nationeye
Posted December 16, 2008 06:17 PM

For one minute I was happy and hallucinating how I need to go back home coz mutula is creating a job for me, till I woke up and remembered, that is kenyan government and those are schemers looking for donne moi to grab in the name of aid for kenya, I see the real transformation here, mutula will award himself this project hence pay himself with the aid money and voilaaa....

Submitted by karabu
Posted December 16, 2008 06:12 PM

I have not known any project that succeeds without a vision and planning. This vision, if given prudent baby steps, can move Kenya forward. Build infrastructure ie. flyovers, bypasses, educate all and sundry, entrench accountability. All the doubting Thomases should know that if you aim at the stars, you will at least get to the moon. May our MPs also be informed that "we need all hands on deck!"

Submitted by syindumyaki
Posted December 16, 2008 05:26 PM

Its time to walk by faith not by sight. Hon. Mutula, it can be done. In the name of Jesus! Poverty must be defeated. We are calling upon all those trillions of shillings, from the four corners of the earth, amen! All yee men of little faith and little thomas, behold!

Submitted by mamboz
Posted December 16, 2008 05:21 PM

success comes only to those who dare dream. you are dead if you can not dream.

Submitted by parachuteband
Posted December 16, 2008 04:35 PM

This is a vision/strategy that states what the city should look like in 2 decades and how much it will cost to get there. With this kind of spending I see lots of jobs being created and alot of poverty being aleviated.

Submitted by kariukimwangi
Posted December 16, 2008 03:34 PM

Mutula dares to dream and having a dream is a good thing. We fail in life because we lack a vision of where we want to be in a particular time.So I dont see anything wrong with the plan,you have to plan first in order to attract the money.If you had asked resident of Dubai if the city will turn to a business hub 20years ago we would have got the same response I see below. Kenyans are a let down lot that has stopped to believe and yes dream.

Submitted by narc
Posted December 16, 2008 03:27 PM

please,this is utterly amusing,very comical indeed.think of all the anglo fleecing and white elephants.next...!

Submitted by nani_ngombe
Posted December 16, 2008 02:49 PM

I like the way Mutula's mind wanders and wanders from billions to trillions. But I hate the way he ignores the basics. How can we provide a constant water and power supply to the CBD? How can we provide cheap, decent housing for the millions in slums? How can NCC respond to multiple fires in the CBD during the midday peak of traffic? Mutula has conveniently escaped these questions, and is busy building castles in the sky.

Submitted by Makanji
Posted December 16, 2008 02:09 PM

These people are liars. They promised us everything in the world by year 2000. Water for all, health for all etc. By the way, Kibaki, Raila, and Mutula may not be around in 2030 so dont blame them when nothing is achieved. Why dont we go for 5 year plans and then we can be held accountable? 2030 are lies to make leaders look good. Kenyans lets not be taken for a ride as has been the case since 1963. This 2030 thing should be done away with. We cant even feed our citizens! God save us!

Submitted by kariste72
Posted December 16, 2008 01:32 PM

All these juvenile grand dreams tagged grand plans, the shelves myst be full of them. Why don't out policy makers get real and deal with the basic problems at hand -starving people, IDP, lack of medicine in hospitals, poorly equipped schools, no roads, and the list goes on. It is all too tiring.

Submitted by onyangofred2
Posted December 16, 2008 01:09 PM

The face of Kibaki tells it all. He knows it's a "BIG" dream. Why can't they first settle down and build nice houses for people in slums, before giving us these BIG dreams of theirs. Very soon, we'll be shown how our TAXES lost into thin air in the name of VISION 2030. LET'S GET REAL.

Submitted by msema_kweli
Posted December 16, 2008 12:42 PM

uwongo mpaka lini?

Submitted by fraora
Posted December 16, 2008 12:24 PM

We are tired of theories and dreams. Please start by improving what we have.

Submitted by Nyaminwa
Posted December 16, 2008 11:47 AM

Does this really work?

Submitted by Hillaryio
Posted December 16, 2008 11:33 AM

My only hope is that the IDP's issue will have been resolved before the year 2030.

Submitted by MUINGAH
Posted December 16, 2008 11:07 AM

This sounds very fabulous and we should be optimistic that it'll materialise agaist all tides. However, my concern is when will some professional institutions of learning like the K.M.T.C start offering Degree certificates as opposed to the current Diploma certificates? This puts those who qualify from the institution at a disadvantage competitively with their counterparts from other countries yet the institution offers standard and quality programmes.

Submitted by Vickery
Posted December 16, 2008 11:06 AM

Keep on dreaming Hon. Mutula. If tiny projects are taking you eons to complete, how will you manage this balderdash!

Submitted by kkebuchi
Posted December 16, 2008 10:55 AM

Why didn't Mutula have all these good plans all the time he was with Moi in KANU? it's too late now

Submitted by russell
Posted December 16, 2008 10:38 AM

These are all but fantasies and bulding of castles. Kenya's average revenue is about Kshs12 trilion in thirty years. Where will you get the balance to finance these dreams within the same period of time? Since we are not condemned to Nairobi, it will be much easier and cheaper to choose an open location within Kenya and build a modern, state-of-the-art captial. Nairobi will remain as the commercial city. Brazil and Tanzania did the same. Nairobi is almost closed up and has no room for further expansion without stepping on peoples' precious installations like witnessed on Thika Road.

Submitted by mdie
Posted December 16, 2008 10:34 AM

I understand that Kenya is made up of eight provinces,but it seems that only one matters most to this guys.We have 2030 vision yet today in WAJIR people are don't even know if they are in kenya or another country because everything government has revolves around Nairobi.Hon Mutula should start visualising in such places and not only Naiobi.

Submitted by ogollas
Posted December 16, 2008 10:25 AM

This is typically what happens when you put a fine round peg in a square hole. It just looks out of place. Mutula could have been much better off working with Martha Karua, rather than masquerading as a master city planner. The result is this grandiose dream. Lakhini kuoata ni bure, au siyo?

Submitted by Ngocho
Posted December 16, 2008 09:53 AM

Hon Mutula, do not get discouraged by the negative comments. We failed to plan for many years and now Nairobi is one big mess. You should however make sure that we can implement planned developments in affordable phases so that your vision does not stall on paper.

Submitted by sammie75
Posted December 16, 2008 09:37 AM

The goals are over ambitious, but its good, that someone has dream whether achievable,practical,economically viable.Atleast we can achieve part of the goals.Of course there are immediate goals,we expect to be meet, promoting effecient use of resources by,eliminating corruption,wastage,better service and revenue collection,promoting intergrity and trust among all citizens.Without any and more of this,our dreams,hopes however good are just but nothings,Lets change our usual business first and then we can dream and plan.

Submitted by cnphilison
Posted December 16, 2008 09:26 AM

with the vision 2030 creates a bad image by moving the Dandora dumping site to the land between Buruburu, Umoja,New Kcc plant,Kariobangi South and Civil Servant. Is the area not neighbouring four estates? Hon Mutula and NEMA must be kidding with their Engineering to relocate the dumping site. advice,Please think of a better place far from residential!

Submitted by kefa g
Posted December 16, 2008 08:12 AM

There is no reason to spend 30 trillion to pimp up Nairobi whereas People in my Rural Home Nyandarua have no electricity, lack security (courtesy of Mungiki and Stray Aberdare Leopards) .They should first improve life in rural Kenya and then improve the city.Countries like Singapore which have a metropolis started with improving the welfare of rural areas.Its sheer lack of correct priority. Why cant they first the IDP's in Kenya? There is no need

Submitted by gikkam
Posted December 16, 2008 04:55 AM

while I appreciate the vision that the President has for the advancement of the country, is it not important to stabilize the conditions of the people currently living there? How could somebody think of such plans whereas its citizens are dying of starvation? Please feed the people first then advance the city.

Submitted by wakandoma
Posted December 16, 2008 03:40 AM

This sounds very ambitious and as much as i don't want to quash your dreams as soon as they are born, it hurts to say that with the way you politicians are operating right now, it doesn't seem as if you'd be able to get us there. Maybe if you decided to pay taxes would we eventually raise the 33.2 trillion

Submitted by wanmt
Posted December 16, 2008 01:09 AM

Hon Mutula has finally created a monster out of a molehill. This blue print is too good on paper and sounds bombastically good. But a question to ask is: is it feasible, practicable and affordable? Mutula had chances to give Nairobians hope for improved services by fragmentation of the city and decentralization of services. He created a bottleneck to city development and opened another loophole to siphone out tax-payer's money.

Submitted by jogulla
Posted December 16, 2008 12:57 AM

if you have a dirty house clean it. dont go to the banks to buy a clean one. Lets get real