Future of African Megacities (Nairobi)

Nairobi is Kenya’s capital and a rapidly rising city. In recent years, the city has grown significantly. According to statistics, the city is primed for rapid expansion. In comparison to other African cities, Nairobi is the favored investment destination. Nairobi’s attractiveness is due to a variety of causes. Kenya’s economic sustainability is a critical component that has aided in the rise of Nairobi. The country is stable and has strong leadership. Yet, despite Nairobi’s rapid expansion, it is vital to highlight the city’s issues. The economic growth represented by the city is not reflective of the socioeconomic levels of the people. A significant percentage of individuals living in the city of Nairobi continue to face poverty. Further, there is increased population as the infrastructure becomes depleted. The inability to enact measures in place serves as a disadvantage. The focus of this analysis is to evaluate the state of Nairobi while an emphasis on the city’s rapid growth, accompanied by problems due to poverty and lack of infrastructural development. The rapid growth of the city is characterized by problems and complications arising because of poverty and lack of infrastructure as they become populated.

Problem Statement

The growth of any country should be measured not only by the rapid growth of its towns and cities but by the socio-economic development of its people. Nairobi is an attractive hub for investment. However, the increase in poverty levels has an adverse effect on the city’s growth. The increase in the number of individuals lacking access to basic amenities is a deterrent to rapid. The situation is compounded by the fact that infrastructural development is hindered. Socioeconomic development cannot be achieved in a country in a situation where their infrastructure is limited. Therefore, the increase in poverty and lack of infrastructural development is a problem that affects Nairobi hence the need to address the issue.

Research Questions

What are the problems faced by Nairobi due to poverty?

What is the effect of lack of infrastructure in Nairobi?

What is the impact of rapid population growth in the capital of Nairobi?

Review of Literature

Poverty Situation in Nairobi

Studies have demonstrated the poverty situation of the capital of Nairobi. According to Kimani-Murage et al. (2014), poverty levels have been depicted by the vulnerable nature of people in the city. According to the researchers, food and nutrition security play a critical role in promoting economic development. However, Nairobi, being the capital of Kenya, has seen a growth in the number of slums including Kibera, Korogocho, and Mathare. The increase in the number of slums is a reflection of the challenges faced by the people of Nairobi. The decline in socio-economic development has partly been attributed to the post-election violence that was witnessed in the year 2007. The capital was affected by the violence that saw the destruction of property and numerous businesses. A significant percentage of individuals lost their jobs because of the violence hence the increase in a number of people suffering due to poverty. The researchers acknowledge that food insecurity is a problem in Nairobi and this has been depicted by the high number of poverty levels. A huge proportion of families still face difficulties in accessing essential commodities, and this is due to the increased chronic poverty especially in the slums.

Mberu et al. (2014) sought to examine the determinants and patterns of household transitions among the urban poor in Nairobi between the year 2006 and 2009. According to the authors, there are worsening situations regarding the poverty levels of people with time. Mberu et al. (2014) 3.5% of households are in chronic poverty, 20.4% have fallen into poverty while 16.7% and 28.4% remained and escaped out of poverty. The situation is a reflection of the fact that poverty is a problem in urban Nairobi. It is crucial to acknowledge that the rate of poverty is a significant deterrent to the economic development of the capital. The fact that 20.4% fall into poverty is an indication of the fact that there is need to enact measures in place to address the problem. It is critical to acknowledge that the researchers identify the need to come up with relevant policies while at the same time redesigning the slum and the anti-poverty policies that will be critical in addressing the challenge of poverty.

Kenya adopted the new constitution in the year 2010 which saw the introduction of devolution. Devolution has been essential in helping address the problem of poverty. Studies conducted by Chitende and Ngundo (2015) have depicted the significant role of devolution in the reduction of poverty. This follows after the acknowledgment of the fact that poverty is a problem hence the need to come up with appropriate ways of addressing the menace. The poverty situation can be seen as a factor that may have contributed toward the introduction of new systems of governance that would improve the state of the capital in terms of poverty.

The challenge of poverty in Nairobi has seen deterrence in economic development. According to studies by Misaro et al. (2014), it is critical to empowering the poor people so as to lift them out of poverty. In Nairobi, a significant percentage of individuals are facing challenges affecting their ability to meet their social and economic needs. The focus on empowerment is critical since it would be helpful in uplifting the individuals facing poverty. The people are living in Nairobi lack access to the productive resources. According to the researchers, the lack of elements is a significant deterrent to economic development. Despite the fact that the capital is witnessing growth, it is critical to acknowledge that the number of people living in low poverty levels continues to increase. The population growth is characterized by an increase in poverty levels that further paints a wrong picture of the situation of the country. However, it is critical to acknowledge the efforts that have been directed toward ensuring the achievement of development.

Studies by Malenya (2016) demonstrate the role of non-governmental organizations in fighting poverty in Nairobi’s Sinai slums. The efforts directed toward the slums is a reflection of the fact that the capital city of Kenya is facing significant economic challenges. However, many efforts have been directed toward ensuring that the poverty levels are deal with. The identification of the menace in slums is a reflection of the areas most affected by poverty. This is a reflection of the fact that efforts directed toward dealing with poverty should focus on regions such as slums because of the image they depict.

Infrastructural Problems in Nairobi

The growth of Nairobi has equally been witnessed by the presence of infrastructural development problems. The city is facing significant challenges as pertains to aspects including housing. The high population growth rate in the city has resulted in a huge percentage of individuals lacking access to proper housing. Further, the few who are able to access such facilities have to part with huge amounts of finances as property developers have taken advantage of the growth of the city. They have however failed to consider the economic challenges that are faced by a huge proportion of individuals in the city.

The other infrastructural challenge regards the issue of transport. Nairobi acts as the center for huge economic activities. Both industrialists and agriculturalists conduct their businesses within the city. However, there is the challenge of lack of properly developed roads. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the Government of Kenya has taken massive efforts to develop the city’s road networks to open up the satellite towns. This has been essential since it has helped promote the growth of the economy. However, it is critical to attribute these challenges to the issue of population growth. The increased population growth has put too much pressure on the infrastructural facilities in the city.

Impact of Rapid Population Growth

The rapid population growth has been indicative of a city constrained by the little resources that are at their disposal. For example, facilities such as schools, hospitals, and the recreational centers. The limited facilities are stretched to the limit because of the number of people accessing the same. It is critical to acknowledge that the population growth has adversely affected the situation of the city. Poor urban planning has resulted in depletion of the resources hence the need to come up with better ways of addressing the problem. The increased population growth has been a significant deterrent to the growth of the city as depicted in the state of the people living in the city. The efforts by the government to decongest the city have however come at a cost. Hopefully, through the adoption of appropriate planning methods, it would be possible to address the problem.

Methods

The research entailed the use of secondary data drawn from literature. The scholarly articles were instrumental in providing more information regarding the situation of the city. Further, information from the economic review journals has equally been adopted to enhance the process of the research. The key words used in the research included; rapid growth of Nairobi, infrastructural development and population growth of Nairobi. The information derived was essential since it yielded data that would provide a broader picture of the issue.

The inclusion criteria in search of literature were studies having the keywords used in the literature search and relevant to the topic of discussion. Further, the criteria entailed the studies that were published within the past five years. This was guided by the understanding that they information in the article was up to date and would be essential in providing data that is relevant to the topic of discussion.

The exclusion criteria in the literature search entailed the papers that were not published within the last five years. Further, scholarly articles missing the words with the key terms were excluded.

The analysis will entail the evaluation of data to gain an understanding of the situation of the city.

Findings

Challenges faced by the people of Nairobi due to increasing poverty levels. The food crisis is a significant problem that needs to be addressed as a significant percentage of individuals do not have access to the same. The growth of the city has been defined by a widespread shortage of essential commodities that have adversely affected the livelihoods of the people. According to the statistics by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, there has been inflation that has significantly contributed to the situation faced by the people of Nairobi. The increase in inflation is a reflection of the economic situation that affects the people of Nairobi. Despite the fact that a small proportion of people have a slightly higher income, a huge majority are in poverty.

The figure depicted above is a reflection of the economic situation that affects the people of Nairobi. The figures indicate that over 700,000 people are living below the poverty line. This is a reflection of the fact that despite the growth of the city, a significant percentage of individuals continue to face major economic challenges. The survey further reflects that Nairobi plays a critical role in the contribution to the poverty index. Therefore, despite the rapid growth of the city, it is crucial to acknowledge that the city is equally defined by widespread economic challenges. However, it is critical to recognize the fact that the government is putting in place measures that would be essential in reducing the poverty gap. Consequently, resources have been set aside to address the problem. Further, there is the challenge of a food crisis. A significant percentage of individuals are unable to access the basic commodities. This has been caused by the fact that the cost of food commodities has significantly gone up. The ability of individuals to afford such food items has been curtailed, and this has contributed to adverse situations including health problems.

The statistics indicate the malnutrition levels across Kenya. In Nairobi, about 10% of individuals lack access to the adequate food supply. The comparison has been made between the rural areas and the urban areas. The situation depicted is an indication of the poverty situation in Nairobi. Food shortage is a reality, and this is a manifestation of the condition of increase in population. However, despite the fact that the comparisons have been made with regions in other parts of Kenya, it is critical to acknowledge the fact that Nairobi is a city hence the need to uphold the highest standards of living. Unfortunately, a small proportion of individuals in Nairobi has access to the balanced diet. A huge percentage still grapple to meet their basic needs.

Infrastructural Development

Kenya has made significant efforts directed toward infrastructural development. Nairobi has witnessed an increase in the number of malls and road networks. The city is geared toward ensuring that it attains its objectives for development. However, it is critical to acknowledge that such development comes at a cost. Specifically, it is crucial to identify that only the leafy suburbs have been realized the infrastructural development. The strain on amenities can be attributed to the rapid growth. Therefore, despite evidence of the major growth of the city of Nairobi, it is critical to acknowledge that all that has come at a cost. Indeed, the rapid population growth has caused challenges with regard to the issue of resources. The growth of the population has not been proportional to the increase in resources. Therefore, people living in Nairobi have had to continue facing significant challenges.

Discussion

Problems with the Project

The project was successfully conducted but not without challenges. The focus was on getting data that can be used to compile the information. The need to have information that is up to date mandated the search of the most recent literature. Unfortunately, the information that was present on the internet was not sufficiently detailed to warrant comprehensive analysis. Further, it could have been better if the statistics from government agencies was available. However, the information from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics was not detailed and could be seen as general since it focused on the entire country. This can possibly be attributed to the devolution of resources and activities following the promulgation of the new constitution in Kenya. Nevertheless, it was possible to get relevant information since the focus was on the use of secondary resources.

Possible Relevance for future research

Indeed, the study has been instrumental in providing crucial insights regarding the issue of megacities in Africa. Nairobi is a fast growing city and is a hub for investment. However, it is critical to conduct research focusing on other areas aside from the issue of growth, population increase and infrastructural development. It is essential to evaluate other factors including unemployment because of the effect it has on poverty levels. Specifically, it could be worth assessing the rate of unemployment among the youth and how it affects poverty levels. Further, research should be conducted to assess the mitigation measures put in place by different government structures to address the problems in question. Through the same, it would be possible to resolve the problem and understand the entire concept of growth in Nairobi.

Relation of Findings to Literature Review

The results of the analysis provide crucial insights into understanding the issue of poverty amidst rapid growth in one of Africa’s fastest growing cities. The findings depict that population growth is a problem and has resulted in a significant strain on resources. Indeed, according to literature, there is a problem of the food crisis. A significant percentage of individuals face food shortages. Studies conducted have depicted malnutrition and inability to access proper food supplies. Many individuals lack supplies. The findings have attributed the same to increase in population growth. Further, infrastructural development has been identified as an issue characteristic of the situation in Nairobi. However, many individuals, especially in the slum, lack adequate housing. The scenario has been depicted in the findings with Nairobi being a major contributor to poverty index in Kenya. The infrastructural development has not been reflective of the situation on the ground as many people lack accessibility to resources that they require.

Conclusion

Overall, Nairobi remains to be one of the fastest growing cities in Africa. However, the growth has been depicted by challenges including poverty, increase in population growth and lack of infrastructural development. Because of the same, the city continues to face challenges. It is critical for policymakers to come up with measures through which they can address the problem by coming up with mitigation against the same. The problem of poverty, lack of infrastructural development and increase in population, should be addressed.

Works Cited

Chitere, Preston O., and Veronica M. Ngundo. “Devolution as a Means for Self-governance: Its Potential for Poverty Reduction in Kenya.” (2015).

Kimani-Murage, Elizabeth W., et al. “Vulnerability to food insecurity in urban slums: experiences from Nairobi, Kenya.” Journal of Urban Health 91.6 (2014): 1098-1113.

Malenya, Raphael M. Influence Of Non-governmental Organizations Initiatives On Poverty Alleviation: Case Of Innovations For Poverty Action In Sinai Slums, Nairobi County, Kenya. Diss. University of Nairobi, 2016.

Mberu, Blessing Uchenna, et al. “Patterns and determinants of poverty transitions among poor urban households in Nairobi, Kenya.” African Development Review 26.1 (2014): 172-185.

Misaro, Josphine, et al. “Collateral Strategies for Poverty Reduction in Kenya: Prospects and Challenges.” Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development 5.12 (2014): 1-8.

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