Mr Governor spare us the talk; it’s time to act
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero says his government has spent the last year laying the foundations for major developments over the next three years.
That explains why the government has not achieved much in its attempts to improve the lives of residents nearly a year after being elected.
Dr Kidero promises to address the perennial traffic gridlock that is undermining the capital’s economic growth by expanding nine major roads, including Jogoo, Limuru, Lang’ata, Juja, Ngong’, Outering, Mombasa and Waiyaki Way.
In addition 600 marshals have been hired to direct traffic on city streets.
To tackle insecurity, especially in the CBD, Dr Kidero promises that his government will fit all buildings with CCTV cameras. He also wants the County Assembly to fast track the Metropolitan Police Bill so his government can set up its own police force.
On a positive note, the county has increased water production from 480,000 to 545,000 cubic metres a day — and its cost has gone down in the slums, from Sh5 a litre to Sh2, he states.
The county has also promised to build greenhouses in each of the 17 constituencies to boost agriculture.
While Dr Kidero and his team may have all these lofty plans to improve the lives of residents, the challenge lies in implementation.
Dr Kidero readily admits it might not be easy to enforce some laws which have a direct bearing to the wellbeing of Nairobians, like the building code that insists all structures with more than four flours be fitted with lifts.
In his state of the county address to MCAs on Wednesday, Dr Kidero admitted 60 per cent of high-rise buildings in the city had not been approved yet cannot be demolished because of other considerations outside the law. It is time the county demonstrated its ability to enforce the law, however painful such actions may be.
It is only through such forthright decisions that the expansion of the nine roads will be achieved.
It is one thing telling residents that water production has improved, while at the same time commissioning a major water rationing programme.
Nairobi residents demand action — not mere rhetoric.