Public open spaces in Nairobi City, Kenya, under threat

Abstract

The paper demonstrates that public open spaces in Nairobi City have been increasingly threatened by congestion and deterioration as result of the rapid rate of urbanisation (5–7.5%), poor planning, weak management and illegal alienation. According to the 1948 Master Plan for the city, city planning was premised on the neighbourhood concept with ample provision of public open spaces. However, after Kenya's independence in 1963, the implementation of the Master Plan was largely abandoned. Rapid and uncontrolled urbanisation meant that public open spaces that were intended to serve a population of 250,000 now serve over 3 million people. Public open spaces in the city suffer from degradation, overcrowding and insecurity, thus denying city residents access to the much-needed recreation and leisure facilities.