THIKA HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

THIKA HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The Social/Community Component of the Analyisis of the Thika Highway Improvement Project ABRIDGED VERSION March 201...
Author: Dale Matthews
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THIKA HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The Social/Community Component of the Analyisis of the Thika Highway Improvement Project

ABRIDGED VERSION March 2012

View of Thika Highway

Source: http://www.kenyacarbazaar.com/blog/firms-cut-off-thika-road-face-relocation/

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Executive Summary Transforming the road from Nairobi to Thika town into a super highway is one of Kenya’s first large-scale transportation infrastructure projects and is drawing mixed reactions. Funded by loans from the African Development Bank and the Chinese government, the project began in November 2010 and is expected to be complete in July 2012. The citizens who are seeing their lives transformed by the highway have not been part of most discussions about the highway, and little independent research has taken place on the impacts of the highway especially for nonmotorists. The Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (Kara) and the Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD) at the Earth Institute at Columbia University have come together to examine emerging issues around the Thika Highway Improvement Project (THIP). As part of this joint work, Kara held a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for residents and users of the highway, along with a stakeholder meeting and public forum. The FGDs, stakeholder meeting, and public forum provided a platform for the public to give their views on the project planning and implementation, the socio-economic impact on their lives and livelihoods, their involvement or otherwise in the project, and issues of local planning and land use in relation to the project as well as any other concerns. In addition, there was the opportunity for dialogue with the officials implementing the project. From this series of discussions, it is clear that many Kenyans welcome and appreciate the THIP and its anticipated benefits, but there are gaps in the project process and implementation. As this is the first superhighway being built in Kenya, it is important that lessons are drawn from the gaps so appropriate and necessary measures are taken to ensure that future projects live up to the expectations of all the key stakeholders, including the general public. In particular, this work has highlighted the need to harness users’ and residents’ knowledge base for the project including how to safely access and use the superhighway and the land around it. It has also highlighted the urgent need for the government to provide more information on such transportation projects and to adopt more of a context-sensitive approach to road building that takes into account existing land uses, environment and the local economy. This means getting more input from users and those affected by the road prior to design and construction in line with international standards of Context Sensitive Design and safety.

Introduction Expanding the Nairobi-Thika Road is an important infrastructure project in Kenya and provides an opportunity to shape the processes behind future large-scale projects. While it initially attracted excitement and praise, some complaints have emerged that required independent investigation. To fill this gap, the Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (Kara) and the Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CSUD) at the Earth Institute at Columbia University have come together to examine emerging issues around the Thika Highway Improvement Project (THIP). This work is part of a larger interdisciplinary research consortium with the University of Nairobi’s (UoN) Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology’s (JKUAT) Highway, Geotechnical and

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Transportation Division. 1 By bringing in the voices and views of citizens impacted by the highway project alongside more technical studies, this collaborative effort complements the overall work of the research consortium, which also is examining the road designs, land use and environmental impacts of the Thika Highway Improvement Project. Within this larger examination of the Thika Highway project, Kara’s role was to hold focus group discussions (FGDs), a stakeholders’ meeting, and a public forum to discuss the THIP. Specifically, these meetings provided a platform for the public to give their views on the project planning and implementation, the socio-economic impact on their lives and livelihoods, their involvement or otherwise in the project, and issues of local planning and land use in relation to the project as well as any other concerns, as well as provide a medium whereby the various project stakeholders can communicate their concerns, issues, and questions about the project. The following provides an abbreviated version of the findings of Kara’s work that was carried out in collaboration with CSUD. The hope is that this will help improve both the process and outcomes of the ongoing and very important transportation infrastructure projects in the country in line with Kenya Vision 2030. We also hope it demonstrates the importance of more independent research, monitoring and citizen engagement with the government in major projects. Findings The FGDs (Kara ‘divided’ the highway into six sections and held a FGD in each of the six areas for local residents and businesses), the stakeholders’ meeting, and the public forum initiated lively discussion among a range of participants. The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA), private companies dealing with planning issues, safety regulators, and engineers along with other stakeholders (based on those who responded to the newspaper advert) attended the stakeholders meeting. In addition, Kara was View of Thika Highway particularly keen to listen to the other Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53780229@N06/ participants in the THIP research consortium and learn from their own respective work. Prof. Evaristus Irandu, Associate Professor at the University of Nairobi’s Geography and Environmental Studies Department, attended the stakeholders’ meeting and presented his preliminary findings on the Environmental Impact Assessment process. The Public Forum held after the stakeholders meeting was led by a panel including Eng. John Mwatu, team leader of the Thika Superhighway project at the Ministry of Roads (MoR), Eng. Meshack Kidenda, Director General of KeNHA, and Prof. Irandu, University of Nairobi, and 1

The research consortium is organized by CSUD and is made possible with funding from the Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF).

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moderated by Mr. Stephen Mutoro, Kara CEO. Kara had also invited the Kenya Police Traffic Commandant who confirmed participation but had to cancel last minute due to emergency security issues he had to personally address. The presence of Eng. Kidenda and Eng. Mwatu was important as they were able to listen first hand to some of the challenges the users and residents of the highway have been grappling with since the commencement of the project. The following positive impacts of the THIP were mentioned at the FGDs, stakeholder meeting and public forum: 1. Reduced travel time from Thika to Nairobi as a result of reduced traffic jams along the highway. Thika Road has always been known to be one of the most congested roads in Nairobi with traffic snarl-ups throughout the day. 2. Increased property values along the highway caused by increased demand for property. This is mainly to the benefit of those in real estate businesses or property owners. 3. Enhanced access to facilities such as banks, supermarkets, social clubs among others, which are expected to set up branches along the highway due to improved infrastructure. 4. Improved efficiency in doing business, especially for those businesses that rely on traveling or moving goods between Nairobi and Thika. The following points summarize the concerns expressed at the focus group discussions, the stakeholders’ meeting, and the public forum. 2 Road Safety • •



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Frequent accidents particularly on the densely populated parts of the highway such as the Githurai area. Inadequate signage (either missing or difficult to see) on the roads, especially for the diversions, thus causing a safety risk as some motorists find themselves on the wrong side of the road. Strong concerns were voiced about the lack of signage on the road. KeNHA and the MoR stated that they have concerns about vandalism of signage and other materials on the highway. Plans are underway to introduce signage made from materials that are less valuable to reduce vandalism. They indicated that signs and streetlights, in addition to the pedestrian footbridges, would be added at the end of the project. Gaping holes left by contractors are a risk to A fatal accident along Thika Highway Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31513264@N08/ motorists and pedestrians, especially at night.

See http://csud.ei.columbia.edu/?id=news#ThikaVideo for the full forum.

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• • • •



Lack of information and skills both by the motorists and pedestrians on how to use the highway that will lead to accidents. Lack of adequate provision for Non-Motorized Transport (NMT), hence increasing the chances of accidents. People with disabilities such as the blind and disabled were not taken into consideration in the design and implementation of the project. It will be difficult for the disabled to cross the highway using the footbridges. Crossing the highway is posing a challenge as the footbridges are spread wide apart and pedestrians are tempted to cross the highway without using the footbridges. The Ministry of Roads and KeNHA acknowledged the situation and noted that all of the pedestrian crossings were already planned and will be added at the end of the project since it was easier to get the road built first. Attention was called by the MoR to the footpaths on Uhuru Highway as an example of past performance in delivering footpaths/footbridges. The MoR stated that the footbridges will have ramps so that they are handicapped accessible and that they will be provided every two kilometers or so. It was also noted, in response to concerns about how livestock could safely cross the road, that the animals could use the ramps as well. There are no provisions for cars that break down or run out of fuel while on the highway and need to pull aside to fix the problem. This is bound to lead to accidents as vehicles at high speeds can easily hit the stationary vehicle.

Health • • • • •

Workers hired by the contractors do not have clinically approved devices to protect them from inhaling chemicals and dust while carrying out their duties. This may result in shortand long-term health complications. Drainage of liquid waste from the construction of the highway is done through tunnels that may spill into the water sources that the residents use. There is a lot of noise pollution from the construction site and this may lead to hearing impairment particularly for residents living near the highway. Dust emanating from the project site may lead to respiratory complications for the residents and users of the highway. There were concerns that the contractors dug certain parts of the murram road and left open holes. During the rainy seasons, stagnant water is found in the dug holes, which are a breeding ground for mosquitoes hence leading to incidences of malaria.

Water Drainage, Road and Property Damage •

Regarding proper drainage of water on and around the highway, MoR assured the audience that drainage structures between Nairobi and Thika would be functioning and that there would be no water on the road. A problem identified by MoR was that unchecked water flow in Juja and in other places sometimes takes place on private property and that this is therefore a planning issue, rather than a problem made by the road. The MoR said that it has been recommended that the government acquire land to alleviate such issues. This was a statement by Eng. Road Construction Along Thika Highway Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maasai1/

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• •

John Mwatu of Ministry of Roads although he did not clarify who had made these recommendations. The MoR acknowledged that the use of heavy equipment by the contractors damaged the roads and that they will repair this damage. There was no mention of the weakening of the buildings near the highway caused by the heavy machinery. Participants also raised the issue of compensation for the loss of business for those whose properties have been demolished, or access roads to their property have been blocked or diverted. The MoR and KeNHA categorically stated that the government has no provision for compensation of loss of business. This issue was raised at some of the FGDs and also at the public forum where the KeNHA DG stated that there are no plans for compensation for the loss of business.

Information and Public Involvement • • •



The general feeling is that minimal information was relayed to the local residents and users of the highway regarding the project. Information on the design, land use, timeframe, cost, and project partners, is not easily accessible if accessible at all. Communication to local residents and users of the highway during the implementation of the project –for example, about when and where diversions will be made- is absent or ineffective. Regarding public participation in the planning and implementation processes, the MoR and KeNHA stated that they have been inviting the public through the press to public consultation meetings but the turnout is always poor. It was, however, agreed that other means of mobilizing public participation should be explored including working with organizations like Kara to ensure that future public participations are a success 3. Issues of technological transfer were raised and suggestions made that local engineers should work closely with the foreign contractors so that they are able to provide technical assistance on the highway maintenance after the contractors have completed the assignment and left. It was confirmed that the MoR Engineers are working closely with the contractors and will be able to take on the highway maintenance after project completion. The private sector will be contracted to maintain the highway.

Socio-economic Impact • • • •

Property value along the highway is skyrocketing as people scramble for a piece of land on Thika highway. This is benefitting property owners and not renters. Given the rent increases, some tenants who are unable to pay the high prices have been forced to move out. There has been a loss of businesses due to the demolition of premises on the road reserve and also due to the diversions. The construction trucks are very heavy and their movement during the construction has led to weakening of some of the buildings near the highway.

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Soon after the Public Forum KeNHA sent a letter to Kara asking for assistance with communicating the project to the public. They also hosted an open house in a tent they had set up for this purpose on the Highway near Safari Park.

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Another concern was around the digging out of land near the highway. Acres of agricultural land had been razed and never filled. KeNHA informed the forum that the contractors are under contractual obligation to restore all the areas tampered with to their original state 4. Some concern was raised about the loss of agricultural land lost to the highway. The issue of food security was also brought up in a question about how livestock can safely cross the road.

Other Concerns •





An engineer in the audience emphatically pointed out that in order to design well-functioning junctions, it is necessary to have proper data. He was concerned, saying that the last traffic data collected in Nairobi was in 2007 and that it was inadequate for proper junction design. He offered to work pro-bono on designing proper junctions and asked that the traffic simulations be posted online so that he might analyze them and rectify any errors prior to construction. KeNHA thanked the engineer but indicated that it was too late as the consultants had already been procured and they were proceeding with their work. There were several remarks made about the involvement of the Chinese in the THIP. For example, a question about storm water run-off near Kenyatta began was phrased, “Are we going to keep paying money to the Chinese…if there is no provision for storm water?” Another participant noted that in China, there are excellent signs in their country and that on the THIP, there are none. KeNHA’s response to the anti-Chinese sentiment was that there had been an international competition and that the Chinese had won. (See answers to the water and sign issues above). Concerns were also raised about the cost variations that have resulted in the project cost increasing by 35%. This was attributed by MoR and KeNHA to the depreciating value of the shilling and increased cost of construction materials.

Young children swimming in one of the many ditches created by Thika Highway Construction Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53780229@N06/

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There was no mention of any penalties to date, so perhaps the penalties are to be levied later or post-construction.

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Recommendations In light of the information gleaned in this study, we recommend the following: 1. A series of awareness-creation initiatives and public events to educate citizens on highways and transportation plans and policy more generally. 2. More engagement by professionals to make government officials and practicing engineers more aware of the need for context sensitive road-building and of their responsibilities in designing safe roads. 3. In line with the Kenya Open Data Initiative, more open access to all information from the GoK on issues surrounding the THIP and other transportation projects. This includes Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Traffic Data, Road Designs, Resettlement Action Plans and Project Updates to avoid unforeseen closures and diversions and create better independent monitoring mechanisms. 4. More materials such as brochures and booklets with simplified information about the usage of the highway might also be published and disseminated by the GoK in partnerships with civil society organisations like Kara. 5. More careful research on transportation infrastructure policy, projects and processes by universities in support of improving how the GoK and citizens develop and use such infrastructure in future. 6. More effort should be made to address the issues raised by citizens as regards to Thika Highway and to mitigate possible negative impacts. This may involve some redesigning.

Conclusion While the majority of Kenyans welcome and appreciate the THIP and its anticipated benefits, it is clear that there are gaps in the project process and implementation. As this is the first superhighway being built in Kenya, it is important that lessons are drawn from the gaps so appropriate and necessary measures are taken to ensure that future projects live up to the expectations of all the key stakeholders, including the general public. Moreover, fundamental issues concerning the design and implementation processes have not been adequately addressed or planned for at this advanced stage of construction, so work must be done to continue to bring these issues to light and work to have the road design adjusted especially with regards to critical ongoing concerns about safety. Specifically, structured stakeholder involvement and participation at the very initial stages of project planning must occur along with continued lines of communication throughout the project cycle. Organized civil society organizations, such as Kara, and local universities, such as the UoN and JKUAT, have a critical role to play in the whole process and the government might therefore embrace partnership with such institutions while undertaking initiatives such as the THIP. There is also need for public sensitization on the importance of being proactive and participating in various service delivery processes such as the THIP. While it is easy to blame the government 8

for failure to accord the public an opportunity to participate in various processes, members of the public must also take some responsibility to try and understand the government projects and ask for information that should be public. What this work has shown, however, is that once proper venues are provided people will come out and discuss critical issues and provide valuable feedback on transportation issues, an area that is generally neglected by civil society. CONTEXT SENSITIVE DESIGN • • •

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Satisfies its purpose and needs as agreed to by a wide range of constituents Safe for users of all ages and abilities and for the surrounding community Harmony with community and preserves environmental, scenic, aesthetic, historic and built and natural resources of the area (landuse) Well managed and involves effective and efficient use of resources Designed and built with the least possible disruption to the community

The Kara/CSUD initiative has succeeded in bringing to the fore some of the grave concerns harbored by the public. As a result of the findings of the FGDs and the public forum organized by Kara, KeNHA has taken the first steps in rolling out a public awareness and road safety campaign on the THIP. More recently, a safety audit of the highway took place. This is encouraging but much more must be done by the government, civil society, and citizens to address the myriad of concerns and very real problems around the highway now nearing completion and ensure the future highway projects unfold in line with the principles of the Constitution and context-sensitive road design.

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Since its inception eleven years ago the Kenya Alliance of Resident Associations (Kara) has been at the forefront of advocating for acceptable standards of public service delivery, as well as access to government services. Over the years Kara has carved a niche as the apex body representing the voice and pro-active action of residents associations on taxpayers and consumers rights countrywide, and accelerated access to public service delivery. Kara promotes structured public participation in service delivery processes by encouraging and facilitating formation of residents associations countrywide. Over the years membership to the Alliance has grown with more Kenyan citizens recognizing and appreciating the role of residents associations in achieving better public service delivery. The Alliance is also keen on advocacy, especially on good governance and social accountability. To achieve its goals, the Alliance is continually investing in forging working and sustainable partnerships with government, private sector, development partners, institutions of higher learning and wider civil society.

Founded in 2004, CSUD is one of eight Volvo Research and Educational Foundations Centers of Excellence focused on sustainable transportation and is part of this global network of centers. For the last six years, CSUD has worked in Nairobi, seeking out partnerships with Nairobi-based think tanks and researchers to deepen its understanding of how to facilitate sustainable urban development, with a key focus on land use, transport and planning institutions within the Nairobi Metropolitan Region (NMR). CSUD’s collaborative efforts take a strategic policy network approach. This involves undertaking action research to build networks while at the same time conducting cutting edge research into pressing issues around urbanization. We then use this research and the networks formed to inform policy and practice. This approach has been central to numerous projects, including our effort at collaborative planning focused in the Municipality of Ruiru and our involvement in the Nairobi Metropolitan Region spatial concept competition. We invite you to visit our blog Nairobi Planning Innovations: http://nairobiplanninginnovations.wordpress.com/.

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