Citizen Perception of Green Spaces Prioritization in Urban Kenya: The Case of Kisumu City and Eldoret Municipality

Abstract

Kenyaiscurrentlyexperiencing rapidrateofurbanizationwhichisconsideredasoneofthehighestintheregion,withover30%ofitspopulationlivinginurbanareas.Itisprojectedthatby2050Kenyawillbepredominantlyanurbannationashalfofitspopulationwillbelivingincitiesandurbanareas.Thisunderscorestheneedforurbanplannersandmanagerstoaddressthemselvestothe issuesof provisionofphysicalandsocio-economic infrastructureservicestomatch populationgrowth,oneofthembeingplanningforgreenspaces.Greenspacesaresacrosanctastheysatisfythe socio-economicandenvironmentaldemandsofurbandwellers. Availabilityof greenspacesisconsideredasanindicatorofmeasuringsustainablecities,smartcitiesandurbanresilience.TheKenyanUrbanplanningnormsrecognizessufficientavailabilityofgreenspacesasacriterionforclassificationofcitiesandurbanareas.UsingcasestudiesofKisumucityandEldoretMunicipality,thestudywasaimedatexaminingtheperceptionsofcitizensongreenspacesplanning.The studyisunderpinned bybasic needstheory whichinformsrankingof priorityneedsofcommunities.Atotalof1030usersofgreenspaceswhovisitedsevengreenspacesinKisumuCity andtwogreenspacesinEldoretMunicipalitywere randomlyselectedforinterviewswiththepurposeofsolicitingdata ontheirviewsontheplaceof greenspacesaccordingto theirfeltneeds.Basedonfrequencyanalysis,28%ofrespondentsindicatedthateducationshouldbeputasthe firstpriority,followedbyjobcreationinindustrialareas(23%),andhousingprovisioninresidentialareas(21%).Provisionofwaterandsanitationservices (10%),improvementof businessenvironment(7%),andtransportinfrastructure(5%)rankedfourth,fifthandsixthrespectivelywhile4%oftheRespondentsrankedbothprovisionofgreenspacesandpublicpurposestobeintheseventhandthelastpositionintheirschemeofpriorities.Thestudyconcludesthatgreenspaceplanningisnotconsidered asanimmediateneedbycitizensinurbanKenya,andhencetheneedforplannersandurbanmanagerstoinitiateurbanplanningforumstoenlightencitizensonthevalue of green spaces