Background:
Kenya’s capital city, Nairobi, is an international, regional, national and local hub for commerce, transport, regional cooperation and economic development. Nairobi employs 25% of Kenyans and 43% of the country’s urban workers; as it generates over 45% of GDP, it is a major contributor to Kenya’s economy. But still, lack of services and infrastructure constrains Nairobi’s economic development. Over 60% of the population live in slums and only 22% of slum households have water connections. Higher income groups, or 11-12% of the population, consume 30% of domestic water. The inequalities are increasing. Economic conditions are deteriorating much faster for Nairobi residents than the national trend. The proportion of people living below the national poverty line in Nairobi is rising dramatically, from 26% in 1992 to 50% in 1997.
Nairobi City Council representatives participated in the national consultation process, a partnership platform co-developed with Kenya’s Ministry of Local Government and Ministry of Lands and Housing, parastatal organisations such as the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and national and international NGOs. The aim was to develop options for formal inter-agency collaboration in order to create a coordination body integrating a wide range of urban stakeholders in a single response mechanism.

Objectives:
To contribute to urban poverty reduction and policy development in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through an urban sector profile study – a rapid assessment of needs, response mechanisms and capacity gaps to be addressed at the local, national and regional levels.

Activities:

1. Research on the general background of the urban sector in Nairobi, based on the findings of the Nairobi assessment report, a desk study, interviews, and a city consultation that was held in Nairobi on 12 January 2005. The background includes data on administration, urban planning, economy, informal and the private sector, urban poverty, infrastructure, water, sanitation, public transport, street lighting, energy, health and education.
2. A synthesis of the four main areas governance, slums, gender and HIV/AIDS and environment in terms of the institutional set-up, regulatory framework, resource mobilisation and performance. This step highlights agreed priorities and includes a list of identified projects.
3. SWOT analysis and outlining of priority project proposals for each theme. The proposals include beneficiaries, partners, estimated costs, objectives, activities and outputs.

Results:

• Study introduced to stakeholders and TORs tailored to local contexts
• Urban indicators collected, city assessment and profiling completed
• City consultations undertaken by including different stakeholders from all levels of urban society and priorities identified and agreed upon
• Capacity building gaps identified at the local level
• Priorities identified and project proposals formulated in order to address them

The RUSPS experience shows that urban inefficiency and inequality can be reduced through improved governance. Decentralisation and strengthening Nairobi’s financial and revenue mobilisation capacities are key factors for improving the city’s condition. A sharper focus on pro-poor policies as well as on equitable and efficient urban management is urgently needed if the potential of Nairobi is to be enhanced. Given the capital’s significant role as Kenya’s economic engine, improvement in city governance and management would go a long way towards improving conditions in the country as a whole.

The published profile can be found under publications.