Nairobi used to breathe.
There was a time the city’s suburbs felt like quiet retreats lined with trees, dotted with gardens and filled with birdsong. But these days, the Nairobi skyline is morphing at a dizzying pace. From Kilimani to Umoja, flats are rising shoulder to shoulder, floor upon floor as developers race to meet the insatiable demand for housing.
What began as a solution to urban housing needs is now part of a bigger problem. The uncontrolled construction of residential flats is leading to overpopulation, traffic nightmares, frequent power outages, and clogged drainage systems. Many of these developments sprout up without sufficient parking, proper road access, or reliable water connections. The charm of the Nairobi suburb is disappearing and in its place is a web of disorganized concrete blocks, some only inches apart.
This is not just a local concern. UN-Habitat, the United Nations agency focused on sustainable urban development, warns that poor urban planning leads to increased inequality, environmental degradation and declining quality of life. Ironically, the very agency that champions smarter cities operates out of the very city slowly crumbling under its own weight.
We need a city that works for everyone. That means enforcing zoning laws, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring that urban growth doesn’t come at the cost of human dignity. The Nairobi we love doesn’t need to vanish under slabs of concrete. It just needs better vision and the will to plan for generations, not just for profits.
