A case for comprehensive urban regeneration in the Eastlands’ ten old residential communities, Nairobi city county

Abstract

This paper addresses urban regeneration in the Eastland’s part of Nairobi City County. It focuses on ten old low income residential communities built between 56 and 86 years ago from 1928 and 1956. These are part of twenty-three low and middle income communities built to meet housing needs of the growing number of African urban workers in Nairobi between 1928 and 1961.The ten communities live in 11,060 housing units which is 65.6% out of a total of 16,857units of the twenty-three communities. They occupy a land areaof427.1 Ha (4.271 km2) or 0.6% of Nairobi. Tenets and justification of urban regeneration, role of urbanization in deepening urban blight conditions are discussed in detail and categorization of urban areas in need of urban regeneration stated. An appraisal of the term Eastland’s as a concept and a reality of the ten residential communities’ need for investment in comprehensive urban regeneration are also presented in the context of four identified phases of growth and extension of Eastland’s. It is shown that geographical and social functions as well as political and economic class themes have been used to create and define Eastland’s as a unique sub-city component in the City County. An evaluation of relevant principles of devolution for the newly formed City County government in Nairobi shows there are opportunities but also challenges that need to be managed before successful urban regeneration can be undertaken based on eight recommendations the paper makes.