City ready for skyscrapers but where's supporting infrastructure

Renowned town planner Mairura Omwenga says Nairobi may not be ready yet for this kind of highrise development, arguing that the city is not just about buildings but an integration of many elements.

There must be supportive infrastructure and utilities, he says. Omwenga notes the rising population in Nairobi has led to increased motor traffic, meaning there must be a supportive transport system in place.

“If at the moment, at the level of infrastructure that we have, and also transport, we are already experiencing serious shortages of water supply, sanitation. So, with that rapid growth development, have we developed and expanded the water supply, sanitation, wastewater, drainage transport system to be able to accommodate that?” He posed.

He said all these must be part and parcel of this development policy and it cannot be an after-thought.

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“They must be handled as one integrated package. That is what is called sustainable and integrated development. You can’t do one and then assume the others will simply follow,” explained the planner. Some of the issues that should be considered before giving the green light to developers to reach 75 floors are services like firefighting and equipment that can reach the height.

And because fighting fire requires water, then there must be plenty of it to tackle any associated disaster. “Are we ready? That’s a big question. We are not ready. And that if they have to develop, I mean, we would most welcome that to happen,” he added.

Omwenga explains that the total package of the building development must be accompanied concurrently by expansion and sustainability of the infrastructure required - the transport system.

“Also, that development means more people. Then that also means more schools are required as part of that development policy. More hospitals are required. More green open spaces are required. That has not been included as part and parcel of this policy,” he explained.

The expert argues that the draft policy is limited to just buildings, but not accompanying and attendant infrastructure and community services and transport services that are required. So that’s one major shortfall.

“As those taller buildings come, it is also now very clear that even the health and social challenges also arise including health, environmental and social challenges because we have developed and we have not made provision for open space and all this. Yes,” Omwenga explained.