Straight Outta (the not so) Green City in the Sun
A few years ago, a trend on the Kenyan Twitter streets (Read #KOT) brought back delightful memories of rushing home from school. The trend was #JacarandaPropaganda. As I would rush home, I was always amazed by how the streets would be littered with the wind-dispersed seeds of the Tipuana tipu (The Pride of Bolivia). The kicker, however, was the skyline having this cacophony of yellow, purple, and red flowers from the Pride of Bolivia, the Jacaranda, and the Nandi flame. As a child, this was image was imprinted in my memory, and I truly thought that it was why Nairobi was referred to as the green city in the sun. In my young mind, this was how the whole Nairobi looked, how mistaken I was.
But then, reality…
The Clamour for Roads
The growth of the Kenyan economy can best be demonstrated by the growth in Nairobi. Nairobi has a population of 4.3 million people according to the 2019 national population census, and with an estimated 60% of the cars in Kenya, Nairobi traffic cost an estimated $1bn. It is no wonder that the Kenyan government invests in road expansion. It is simple math in their eyes, more roads =less traffic (just look at all the public declarations around road expansion). To them, road expansion is the silver bullet to the whole traffic debacle. What is sad, is that the government does not realize;
A) They have prioritized the motorists over the walking poor — Walk along any street in Nairobi and you will be hard-pressed to find a walkable path or even a pedestrian footpath. This is both by circumstance and design. Circumstance being most footpath are occupied by hawkers, trying to fight the battle of bread (earn a living), and they constantly have running battles with some authority if not a hawker, then you can be sure that that path has been turned to a car parking lot. By design, as the road contractors choose not to construct them. Either way, the roads don't cater for the walking poor and dare I say, anyone doesn't use a motor vehicle.
and B) They cut all the trees — I keep on going back to Joni Mitchelle’s classic - big yellow taxi — because indeed Nairobi paved a paradise and put up something, worse than a parking lot. 2 years ago, the President launched the Nairobi Expressway, a 27km 4 lane dual highway that is supposed to link the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Waiyaki Way. On paper, a decent investment considering during peak times, it can take you more than 2 hours to navigate that distance. However, three things are brought out; A) the fact that increasing roads does not mean reducing traffic, an efficient and effective transport system reduces time spent in traffic, B) This road costs Kes 62billion a debt that we can do without, but crucially C) was that the road design was going to hive off some 23 meters of the famed Uhuru park. This never actually materialized thanks to the efforts of activists but unfortunately, the trees on the “way” of the express did not share a similar fate, aside from a fig tree that was issued a Declaration of Conservation of the Tree.
“The iconic fig tree at the Waiyaki Way-Mpaka Road Junction, NMS on behalf of H. E. The President, NMS has issued a Declaration of Conservation of the Tree. First of many to follow as we strive to ensure Nairobi grows in her status, Green City in the Sun,” General Badi NMS
While the government has made efforts to plant more trees to replace those that are felled, it generally makes you question how sincere its efforts of greening the city are. The case of the Expressway is just a recent example, literally wherever road expansion is, trees are felled so no reason. The Nairobi Southern Bypass essentially sub-divided Ngong Forest into 4 parts, and also hived part of the Nairobi National Park is another example. But roads are just one example of encroachment by “development” into the urban forests, and green spaces.
Implications
The implications of removing the “green” in a city cannot be overstated. At the end and beginning of the month, just observe Kenyan Twitter and you will see almost all the road users complaining about Mombasa road traffic. Horror stories have been told of how people have spent nights on that road because of the traffic. Mombasa road is now devoid of trees, this adds to the disgust of sitting in that traffic with temperatures soaring because — no canopy for shade. So picture - high temperatures, traffic at a standstill and this is after a long day - what that can do to your mental, now imagine this happening on the daily. Nairobi is morphing into an Urban heat Island. Essentially, adding to the many stresses of moving to a city that has no shade and has cut most of its trees down, now we need to consider a potential public health crisis. With the increase in heat, there will be a worsening of those with pre-existing lung and heart conditions, meaning more asthma and allied cases.
Critically, the felling of trees points to a greater systemic issue. It poignantly points to a city that has not fully embraced the climate crisis in its urban plans. Every year, without fail, during the long rain season, reports on damages and property loss as a result of a heavy downpour and blocked drainage or encroachment on a wetland litter the news, and after the complaints and some cosmetic unblocking of city drainage, we forget the issue that we just faced. I experienced this one night in May of 2015 when our estate perimeter wall collapsed under the weight of water that has been dammed by a hill of waste in the stadium we leave next to. All the water came gushing into the estate, flooding some houses, damaging cars, and contaminating underground water reservoirs. The saving grace was that electricity went out, and so that wasn't a risk. However, I remember the worry on my late grandmother's face as she saw water slowly get into the house. We weren't affected as others but still… Interestingly, this happened as I prepared for an interview a day or 2 later.
The Climate Crisis and Cities
This year alone we have witnessed, Cyclone Eloise in Beira in Northern Mozambique, Kampala, Uganda has experienced floods and wildfires in the Tizi Ouzou region of Eastern Algiers, Algeria, and the radical thing is these events will be on the rise. Scientists estimate that the number of lightening will rise by 50% by the end of the century meaning more wildfires; rain bombs are on the rise, which means transport systems within our African cities will be affected if not changed drastically; and pollen-producing plants will produce more pollen as carbon dioxide numbers increase, and this means that the potential increase of pollen-related allergies increasing. This just points to the need to plan our cities to respond to climate.
There is a concept — climate-smart cities — that is supposed to revolutionize how cities and planned and how they respond to the variability of the weather (read climate). These cities intend to respond to the vagaries of nature, while simultaneously responding to the over 70% of greenhouse gases cities produce. The basic premise is to make the cities biophilic, by incorporating nature into planning. It can simply start by rewilding roads, and allowing flowers and trees to grow, and just building around them. By doing this, cities will not only be increasing employment through new opportunities — With South America and China being emerging markets for e-buses — but crucially cities will be able to respond to climate variability.
Back to the Trees
I have seemingly lost confidence in our land policies, there seems to be such a push to “grey” Nairobi, and I think what's worse still is the shibboleth that government can throw our way. While the declaration of the conservation of the tree was being issued, General Badi stated “…we strive to ensure Nairobi grows in her status, Green City” however, walking around Nairobi your feel the heat and miss the green. Walking in the streets of the CBD, you can almost feel the anger and frustration in the city. While the government may be resolute on their version of development, the poor majority have had their green spaces are taken, their footpaths, and now even the trees are gone replacing the skyline with buildings, that are built on wetlands and riverine areas.
Nairobi is transforming into Thneedville from the Lorax.
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
― Frank Lloyd Wright
Nairobi means the place of cool waters, and having grown up here I understand how cool of a place it is. However, it is ironic that at its current rate of development, it will neither be cool nor developed. The great Wangari Maathai has been lauded for saving both Uhuru Park and Karura forest. A struggle I only now appreciate. This struggle was beyond a park or a forest, it was a struggle for my future, and somehow I have allowed for most of her efforts to be watered down. I am grateful that our laws allow us to be part of the urban planning of the city, and I now plan to take an even more active role in shaping my cities response to climate and climate-related disasters, and so should you. Let us, therefore, go out and rewild our roads, bring more pollinators to the city, and just enjoy urban flora and fauna. Nairobi can pride itself on a national park, but we should extend that pride by protecting and planting green spaces.
We pride ourselves in our identity, that is why the shirts with the caption, “Straight Out Of…” did so well because we identify! So now, all I ask is that with that place you identify, care for it.
Remember;
“There comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness . . . that time is now.”
— Wangari Maathai
Till next time
