MESSAGE FROM THE TOWN CLERK - JOHN GAKUO
The City of Nairobi is going through a momentous period, where it is faced with the challenge of providing quality services to the fast growing population.
However, despite the challenges, the City Council of Nairobi has continued to improve tremendously in services delivery to residents of Nairobi . As most residents would agree, the Council has done quite a lot in restoring the lost glory of Nairobi .
In the recent past, the Council has recarpeted 11 Roads at an estimated cost of Ksh. 59 millions. The roads include Muhoho, Donholm, and Kombo Munyiri road, Pate Road etc . These are other road projects in various stages of implementation and are financed as follows.
• Kenya Roads Board (Fuel Levy) fund Ksh. 328 million.
• City Council of Nairobi Ksh. 184 million.
The scope of works entails but is not limited to reconstructions, recarpeting, rehabilitation of streetlights, Road making and erection of traffic signs and repair of footpaths.
In terms of garbage collection, the Council has over the last one year effectively collected over 300,000 tons of accumulated waste in the City.
We have also put in place effective management of solid waste from the major City markets including the largest Wakulima market.
Additionally, the Council has implemented zonal contents in term of solid waste collection that will be competitive and is believed will improve in the load of collection thus making the City clean tidy
The Council has also embarked on a beautification programme dubbed “green your City initiative”. Through this programme the Council has planted over 6,000 trees along the main entry points to Nairobi i.e. Waiyaki Way, Thika Road, Mombasa Road, Langata Road and Central Business District.
On Health Services delivery, the Council has decentralized these services by creating 8 Health Management Districts overseen by the Medical Officer of Health.
Today there are 11 Health Centres within Nairobi providing free Medical Care Services, which run on a 24 hours basis, while 8 maternities are now fully operational thus decongesting Pumwani Maternity Hospital .
On Education, the Council has constructed 11 new classrooms and rehabilitated 16 Schools within the last one year. As a result of free education policy the Council has had to contend with an increase of 199,000 pupils as compared to 146,000 before the start of free primary education.
Besides these specific areas, the Council has also facilitated the implementation of various development projects proposed by the public under the Local Authority Service delivery Action Plan. A majority of these projects are infrastructure related covering roads, Street, security lighting, water and sanitation, rehabilitation of school and social centers.
During the financial year 2002/2003, a total of 43 projects were completed at a total cost of Ksh.63, 916,401/=, while during the year 2003/2004, 13 projects at a total cost of Ksh.9, 600,000/= were completed. Last year, 10 projects where constructed at a cost of Ksh.5, 500,000/=.63 projects are on going which are estimated to cost Ksh.215, 645,000/=. As I have indicated, these projects include construction of schools, Bursary funds, Health Centres, streetlighting in Estates, repair of Bridges and Public Toilets and covers all the Eight constituencies in Nairobi .
The Council has also rehabilitated pedestrian walkways and carriageway medians and painted bollards. These works have been undertaken along Moi Avenue and Wabera streets and will continue to other streets.
With regard to Physical Planning within the city, the Council has put in place an enforcement Task Force that includes officers from the Council Departments charged with the responsibility of enforcing development by-laws.
A central issue that cannot be wished away is that of hawkers.While acknowledging that unemployment is rife in the country, it is important to note that business has to follow Council by-laws. We know the issue of hawkers invading the central Business District is a sensitive one. We know they need to earn a living. But we also know that Central Business District is not designed for hawking.
The City Council has taken strong position on the issue and deliberate effort to streamline and re-organise the sector has been undertaken.
Today the Central Business District has been transformed into an orderly area as opposed to the maze it used to be. This has among other things led to improved security.
Thank you.
JOHN GAKUO
TOWN CLERK
Email: townclerk@nairobi.org
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