IMPROVEMENT OF NAIROBI IMAGE & SECURITY: LAUNCH OF NAIROBI FACELIFT PROGRAM

The environment we live in determines our response to life's many challenges and opportunity. From the time of the creation of Rome to today's mega cities in the Middle East and Asia, one factor has remained key to the growth of a city and its image. The way a city looks and feels has a direct psychological and social impact on its stability, economic drive, and growth of that city. Nairobi, our Nairobi, was once proudly known as the City in the Sun as a city like no other in the World. But alas, it stunted and today is struggling to regain its glory. However, today, like a bride and groom preparing for their great day, or a young person preparing for an interview, or a mzee dressing for an elder's meeting, Nairobi is getting a face lift is the beginning of regaining her glory as a metropolis that moves with the right rhythm, energy and development that its children so much yearn for. Nairobi has to look successful for it to attract success and the good news is now it will! Nairobi will never be the same again.

Background
So at to bring together the various departments required to start work of reclaiming Nairobi's image and what it communicates of the Government and the People of Kenya, I have been chairing an Inter-Ministerial Committee on implementation of Nairobi's image building program. In the committee are the following Ministries and departments:-

1. Nairobi Metropolitan
2. Local Government
3. Provincial Administration & Internal Security
4. Roads
5. Land's Survey Department
6. City Council of Nairobi
7. Nairobi Central District Business Association

AIM
The aim of the beautification is to:-

1. Internationalize Nairobi City
2. Promote Physical Aesthetics & Discipline
3. Promote Efficiency and Organization
4. Promote Individual Responsibility
5. Promote Community Policing & Security through use of CCTV
6. Promote Youth Empowerment through Kazi kwa Vijana
7. Appeal to Investors and Tourists
8. Enhance National pride and Patriotism

To improve the image of the City of Nairobi and that of other cities in the world, the Government, in partnership with the private sector, is embarking on a major facelift of the City of Nairobi. This facelift encompasses the areas of beautification, security, street address system and proper road maintenance and signage system.

A) BEAUTIFICATION
The aim of the beautification is to be able to use available resources and the beauty of our land and greenery to transform haphazard landscaping of mostly bushes, to beautiful manicured lawns, plants and hedges that communicate order and success. We have the ability to have the most beautiful and functional city in the world and we should not wait for 2030 but should start now, because we can. A beautiful city will propel us psychologically and socially towards more economic progress. As former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, said "You shape your environment and then your environment shapes you". We can do it and so we are doing it, today. What we are launching is a pilot program that will be rolled out to the rest of the city roads such as Jogoo road, Ngong road, Langata road, Waiyaki way and all other major roads in the city. This will later be adopted by other cities in the country.

COST
The beautification program is utilizing Vijana kwa Kazi program and the normal resources and staff already working for Government in the City Council and other Ministries. Therefore, there are no special monies set aside for the work. What we are doing is utilizing available resources well.

B) SECURITY CCTV
Even though the Government will be launching a program through the Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan for CCTV coverage in Nairobi, this will not be sufficient and will only cover the Central Business District and major streets. To supplement what the Government is doing and to deter crime, we are requesting that all Kenyans and especially Nairobians install CCTV cameras on their buildings or Estate Gates and streets so as to record criminal activities and recordings can be availed to police and media to identify and track criminals. CCTV and appropriate lighting are key in deterring crime.






C) STREET/BUILDING NUMBERING
The building numbering system is one where Nairobi has lagged behind in comparison with other major cities of the world. I had started the program four years ago but it was not picked up and sustained by the appropriate departments. Today, we are launching a continuous program of numbering all buildings in the Nairobi Central Business District, Industrial Area, Upper Hill, Community, Hurlinghan and Westlands area. The program, through the city planning department, will be rolled out to the rest of the city. Today we are indicating to building owners what their building number is and what they should indicate. New laws will be gazetted to ensure building owners and home owners comply to this city planning initiative. Street numbering will assist in directions, synchronization with GPS, response to emergency calls and postal services.




D) ROAD MARKING, BUMP IDENTIFICATION AND TRAFFIC FLOW
To aid motorists, road marking and markings on bumps are critical. Despite allocation to Ministry of Roads & City Council for the marking of roads, there has been near total failure by the departments concerned to maintain street markings as is done in other countries. Therefore, we are launching an initiative to ensure proper and permanent systems are adopted for the marking of our roads, road signage and that other road furniture work is done continuously and on time. This will in turn spur the repair of potholes when they are still small because road engineers who are busy remarking roads after every three months or so can identify road weaknesses and encourage inexpensive and timely repairs. Nairobi has 370 bumps majority of which are not marked. The reality in Kenya, and especially at night, is that motorists see a bump after or just before they hit it. In collaboration with the private sector and mostly paint companies, we will mark and maintain all Nairobi bumps and major roads. The Ministry for Nairobi Metropolitan is working on an extensive program to quickly decongest the streets of Nairobi and to improve its traffic flow and livelihood of the city. The Hon. Minister will be communicating these initiatives in the near future.


CONCLUSION
Kenya is facing many challenges but despite all these, we have to be able to do things well if we are to compete internationally and also inspire each other to reach for the stars. By working together, we will transform our lives, plant by plant, camera by camera, road marking by road marking and signs of where we are coming from and where we are going, so as to be truly Proud to be Kenyan. Najivunia Kuwa Mkenya.


Dr. Alfred N. Mutua, EBS
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS SECRETARY/ GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN
July 8, 2009



                       

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