Nairobians speak on “The Nairobi we Want”

Published: November 10, 2007

Residents of Nairobi on Thursday 6th converged at Ufungamo House to discuss issues they wanted addressed by Nairobi parliamentary aspirants if they win the general elections to be held later this year.

In a forum dubbed “The Nairobi we want” organised by the Citizen Assembly, a rights lobby- which brought together a section of aspirants including Ms. Ann Njogu (Kamukunji) and Josephine Ojiambo (Westlands), aspirants outlined the visions they have put in place for improving the city of Nairobi should they elected to parliament.

Ms. Ann Njogu outlined her vision for Kamukunji which includes a secure living environment devoid of police harassment, clean and hygienic domicile with running water and proper sewerage services.

Ms. Njogu said Nairobi suffers from general deterioration of social services adding that it was imperative for citizens to fully participate in decision making on issues that are pertinent to their constituencies.

If elected, she said she would advocate for reduction of MPs’ salaries and change of laws to ensure that members of parliament are taxed in a manner similar to other civil servants.
 
The Kamukunji Narc aspirant further raised concern that the city transport system is “slowly going to the dogs”. She said Nairobi lacks proper mechanisms to address the problem of high traffic on the city highways and city roads and that the council’s parking system “is in ruins”.

She recommended holistic measures including putting in place parking meters and relocating hawkers from the city. “It is critical to introduce city bylaws that effectively deal with congestion, and an elaborate city railway and road network,” she said, adding that proper mechanisms must be put in place to deal with waste and pollution related issues.

On her part, Ms. Josephine Ojiambo was categorical that Nairobians should aspire to live in a city where the rule of law is upheld, she said, citizens have inalienable fundamental rights that must be respected.

Nairobi, she added is a city of mixed opportunities only that they are under utilized. If elected Member of Parliament for Westlands, Ms. Ojiambo said she would ensure that the youth will access employment opportunities and that the government will provide incentives to low income city tenants to enable them pay rent at a relatively low cost.

She said, she will be at the forefront to ensure that the Disabled People’s Act of 2003 is implemented and operationalized. She described the present laws as “militating” against the disabled and that they did not fully address the concerns of this section of the pubic.

Most Nairobians have stopped to nurture a reading culture, said Ms. Ojiambo, and promised to work with other Nairobi parliamentarians if elected to ensure that community libraries are set up in residential areas for the public to access reading materials and also ensure that city planning section of City council is vigilant to address the question of collapsing of buildings and constructions

Other speakers at the forum included Mr. Mugabe Were, ODM ,Embakasi, Mr. Muturi John, Party of Hope ( Kasarani) and James Mutuku, New Democrats (Kamukunji).