Contribution of Land Tenure to Provision of Urban Service Facilities: a Case of Nyeri Town Residential Neighbourhoods

Abstract

The world is urbanizing. Although urbanization is perceived to bring opportunity and a better, more prosperous life, today, this is no longer true for many urban dwellers in the global south. This situation is explicated by the uneven distribution and accessibility of urban service facilities. Urban studies in this region indicate majority of urban dwellers have limited or no access to public service facilities that provides core services such as health, education, recreation, water, sanitation and transport causing them to rely on alternative arrangements to meet their service needs. Fair and equitable access and distribution of these service facilities is often restricted by all kinds of invisible barriers, but the outcome is so visible. This study identifies land tenure forms as a possible invisible barrier to equitable provision of urban service facilities. This study therefore set out to investigate nexus between land tenure and provision of urban service facilities with emphasis on how land tenure related urban management practices contribute to the variation in nature and level of urban service facilities in residential neighborhoods. Using Egalitarianism theory, supported by Institutional Framework for Spatial Justice and the System Theory, the research questions focused on how provision of urban service facilities vary in residential neighborhoods under different land tenure forms, how land tenure related urban management practices contribute to the variations and the possible measures that can be undertaken to improve provision of urban service facilities in residential neighborhoods. Data for this quantitative and qualitative study accrued through interviews, questionnaires, observations and documentary analysis, with a focus on three case residential neighborhoods in Nyeri town: Kangemi, Kingongo and Transformer was analyzed through descriptive analysis. The results indicated variations in availability, accessibility and service facilities providers across the neighborhoods. The study established formulation of public urban service facilities provision policy and formulation of development legislation and regulations are land tenure related management practices that contribute to provision of urban service facilities in residential neighborhoods. Finally, the study compiled Land Re-adjustment, Land expropriation, Land Banking, Pre-emption, Land surrender and Establishment of Growth Areas Authority as measures to improve provision of urban service facilities in residential neighborhoods under different forms of land tenure.