Cover Story
Kidero’s promise to deal with Nairobi’s motoring nightmare
A
fter his swearing in as Nairobi governor, Dr Evans Kidero declared that it was down to business. And true, he has got down to real work. Dr Kidero, is dreaming big for Nairobi. He says the gridlock that defines city motoring and life nowadays will be gone in six months. His seven-pillar programme is anchoring his development agenda for Kenya’s capital city. These are; unemployment, insecurity, water, sanitation, housing, health and transport. None stands out like transport because of the manhours, the fuel that goes to waste every day in traffic jams. Add to that the pollution. On average, at least Sh70 million ($800,000) is lost in traffic per day in Nairobi, according to World Bank figures. Study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft, Winston Churchill said. For Dr. Evans Kidero, remembering his youthful days in the streets of Nairobi illuminates what it used to be and provides guidance on what it needs to be today. As the first Governor of Nairobi, he intends to bring about renewal in the former City in the Sun. Dr. Kidero was elected the new governor of Nairobi County in a tight race against Ferdinand Waititu and Jimnah Mbaru among other contenders. What he took up was the largest county in the country. Dr. Kidero was born and raised in Nairobi, one of the reasons why he has so much passion for the county. “I grew up in Pumwani area of Nairobi. Looking back, I remember how efficiently things used to run, though it was less populated,” he reminisces That was in the 1960s. “Knowing the history of Nairobi, I would like to see things work and that is what motivated me to run. Considering its history, things are not as they should be and I want to make the difference through change.” Taking on Nairobi, the big city in the sun and full of promises is not an easy task. Shortly after taking office, he was presented with a Sh22 million bribe which he promtptly turned down. Head on, he began tackling the issues. “I have no tolerance for the grabbing of public property,” he declares. He intends to make Nairobi a world class city and bringing matters to order is a priority. Land grabbing, in the past, has been carried out by the political elite,
and those “close to power”. “There is a clear stand on city resources. The days of condoning grabbing of public land are gone,” he declared. “Recently, we visited Easteleigh where people have encroached on public land and they will have to move out,” he said. “Another important step is documentation. Together with the National Land Commission, we are going to collaborate to ensure that all the council land is documented,” he added. To carry out these roles, one has to be resilient and devoted. “It’s a 24hour role and my driving force is the will to serve the people of Nairobi with zeal as a custodian.” Needless to say, the expectations are high. With a population of over 3 million people and a proposed allocation of Sh11.7 billion, and a list of promises to be fulfilled. Will he manage to turn around the fortunes of the city? His prove that he will deliver, he says, lies in his past track record. The results he exhibited while in the Nation Media Group, GlaxoSmithKline and recently Mumias Sugar Company (MSC) are prove that he is capable. In his manifesto, he has laid out various plans. Education is one of them. “The rate of school dropout is high. Polytechnics have been upgraded to universities leaving a gap in transition. We will set up institutions to absorb the students that may not make it into the polytechnics.” He promises to create avenues to attract investors, expand small and medium enterprises. “Nairobi has many investment opportunities. It’s a strategic entry point for the African markets especially the southern African market and the eastern market. Nairobi is known for IT and skilled programme developers. We can invest in IT villages. Nairobi can provide the necessary infrastructure for Konza city. We have the necessary capital and are fairly well networked as opposed to other counties,” He encourages companies to set up base in Nairobi due its proximity and strategic positioning. Other investment opportunities lie in housing, solid waste management and power generation. The Governor
The Governor July 2013 FINAL.indd 11
11
6/24/2013 4:09:20 PM