• The upgrade programme gives priority to Shauri Moyo, Makongeni, Starehe, Makadara, Bahati, Maringo, Ziwani, Gorofani, Bondeni, Jericho and Lumumba as well as Gikomba market
• The number of housing units to be increased to 177,139 units from 15,127
The national government's plan to upgrade Eastlands is in the final stage of validation, according to the Nairobi Metropolitan Service Improvement Programme
The focus is on Kariokor, Ziwani, Starehe, Bondeni, Gorofani, Landhies Road Estate, Califonia, Shauri Moyo, Majengo, Kaloleni, Makongeni, Mbotela, Bahati, Maringo, Lumumba, Jericho, Jerusalem and Uhuru.
A validation plan identifies anticipated resource needs and provides key input into the scheduling of project timelines.
An October 2 report of the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development stresses the need for the urban renewal as the identified areas have decayed, dilapidated and inadequate housing.
The characteristics of the identified areas are old and insufficient infrastructure, obsolete plans, unplanned developments, social decadence, environmental degradation and proliferation of slums.
Under the plan, single, double rooms and bedsitters will be done away with in the in old estates, Kenya Railways and government estates and replaced with one, two and three-bedroom units and hostels.
Data from the State Department of Urban Development shows that there are 50,374 housing units Eastlands estates distributed as follows: Bahati 5,934, Jericho 4,851, Maringo 4,200, Lumumba 4,164, Makongeni 5,416, Ofafa Kunguni 3,972, Shauri Moyo 4,859, Gorofani 942 and Mbotela 3,604.
Uhuru has 2,652, Kaloleni 2,643, Ziwani 1,666, Jerusalem 1,504, Outer Ring Road 1,080, Starehe 359, Kariokor 240, New Pumwani 224, Bondeni 1,320, Harambee 288, Landhies 168 and Ziwani Ex-KBS 141.
The validation plan by the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development and the Nairobi County Government seeks to identify and address socio-economic, environmental issues, determine land ownership pattern and identify development potentials.
It will provide development control guidelines informed by the proliferation of private developments without a proper guiding framework.
“This has led to conflicting land uses which have in turn caused poor living and working environments, social conflicts and spatial disorder,” the report read.
Image: FILE
The County Government of Nairobi on May 31, last year, issued a gazette notice on the intention to carry out a study to guide urban renewal and redevelopment of Eastlands for 2016-2036.
“The exercise is being carried out under the Nairobi Metropolitan Service Improvement Programme aimed at improving services in Nairobi metropolitan area that covers Nairobi, Kiambu, Murang'a, Machakos and Kajiado,” the notice said.
The exercise covered 1,100 hectares of Kaloleni, Mbotela, parts of Shauri Moyo, Bahati, Kariokor, Ziwani, Lumumba, Makadarra, Landies, Gorofani, Uhuru, Jericho, Maringo, New Pumwani, Bondeni, Califonia, Ofafa 1 and Jerusalem.
This was besides railway housing estates in Makongeni, Government Quarters, Starehe and adjacent Kimathi, Majengo, Kayole Ndogo, Buruburu, Harambee and Outer Ring Road.
The estates' upgrading plan started in May 2016 and will be implemented by the State Department of Housing and Urban Development, Nairobi County Government and Real Plan Consultants Limited.
The report showed that 47 per cent of Eastlands is under public use for recreational, educational and public purposes, as well as conservational, transportation and open space.
Some 45 per cent of the land is residential while nine per cent is under commercial and industrial use.
The report proposed to have housing units increased to 177,139 from the current 15,127.
This will include 26,573 one-bedroom units, 83,639 two bedrooms, 61,997 three-bedrooms and 4,930 hostels. Currently, there are 5,645 one-bedrooms, 610 two bedrooms, 319 three bedrooms, 7,758 single rooms, 572 double rooms and 223 bedsitters.
The new plan proposes to do away with single rooms, double rooms and bedsitters.
The total achievable units are 177,139, according to the plan. Kaloleni will get 8,132 house units, Mbotela 11,394, Makongeni 27,781, Shauri Moyo 4,088, Bahati 22,998, Bondeni 774 and Gorofani 1,195. Kariokor 5,064 units, Ziwani 4,782, Starehe 5,486, Maringo 17,020, Jerusalem 7,454, Lumumba 21,520, Jericho 26,444, Uhuru 12,097, New Pumwani 70 and Makadara 840.
The master plan also seeks to revitalise Gikomba, Jericho, Burma, Jogoo Road, Mwariro (in Kariokor) markets and Kamukunji Jua Kali light industries. Some Eastlands roads have been expanded while others are planned for expansion.
They include Jogoo, Ladhies, Lusaka, Ahero, Ambira, Bondo, Buruburu, Eastleigh 1st Avenue, Eldoret, General Waruinge, Heshima, Juja, Likoni, Mumias South, Muinami, Muratina, Nile, Nyasa, Quarry, Rabai, Ring Road, Ring Road Ngara and Wangu Avenue.
Priority will be given to Gikomba market and estates like Shauri Moyo, Makongeni, Starehe, Makadara, Bahati, Maringo, Ziwani, Gorofani, Bondeni, Jericho and Lumumba.
The project will be funded by the national and county governments, Kenya Mortgage Financing Company, Public Private Partnership, incremental renewal tax, municipal bond, foreign investors, tenant purchase, site and service schemes as well as saccos.