NMS now appears to be running out of steam with several stalled projects
Nairobi Metropolitan Services (NMS) is facing the prospect of having a number of stalled projects just months into its establishment.
The Major General Mohammed Badi-led began its first 100 days with much promise but that earlier promise seems to have hit headwinds with some of the projects experiencing delays in completion.
When the new office was established on March 18, 2020 by President Uhuru Kenyatta to take over the running of four functions transferred to the National Government from City Hall, it was given 100 days to achieve certain targets in line with the four transferred functions.
The functions include county health, transport, public works, utilities and ancillary services and planning and development services.
In line with the new functions, the new office lined up several projects as part of the first 100 days in office but currently a number of the said projects are lying incomplete way after their promised completion dates.
This even as NMS DG Badi promised to ensure all the directives are not only achieved, but exceeded and projects sustainability assured long after the 100 days elapses. The 100 days elapsed in late June.
Although President Kenyatta gave a clean bill of health for the new office during the marking of 100 days scorecard in June, things on the ground are different with the earlier steam appearing to have ebbed.
ILLEGAL DUMPSITES
One of the deliverables was the implementation of Nairobi urban mobility plan including coming up with pedestrian walk ways, dedicated cycling and pedestrian lanes on Wabera Street, Kenyatta Avenue and Muindi Mbingu Street within 100 days.
Works on the same began in earnest with the new office announcing in June that the project was in its final stages. However, construction of non-motorised transport along Muindi Mbingu Street has stalled with no meaningful activity going on at the site for more than a month now.
President Kenyatta also tasked the office to establish bus stages at Desai and Park Roads as efforts to manage traffic in Nairobi City centre but the status of the project is unknown with the last update saying works on the two bus termini were at 70 percent complete.
The office was also to conduct a serious crackdown on illegal dumpsites and ensure reinforcement on effluent discharge from industries and restaurants into rivers as well as gazette legal solid waste dumpsites for both public and private solid waste collectors.
There has been no information on whether the over 100 illegal dumpsites identified have been closed or gazettement of dumping sites for solid waste collectors.
This even as the outfit has already announced new projects it is set to embark on in the next 100 days in office, including the construction of 24 new level 2 and 3 hospitals in informal settlements.
PROJECTS ON COURSE
But even with the delayed completion of these projects, the new office maintains that it is course to delivering on its promises.
“This will be happening any time now. The documentation is going through the legal processes with an aim to complete this by the end of this month,” reads a statement from NMs in regards to gazettement of solid waste collection points.
On closure of illegal dumpsites, NMS said that 87 out of the 110 identified have been cleared of accumulations and enforcement and compliance is ongoing while the remaining ones will be fully closed by the end of this quarter (September).
The team was also to review and make determinations on existing projects, streamline urban renewal and come up with development control and approvals for the county as well as move in speed and recover contested county land meant for solid waste matter across Nairobi.
On urban renewal, the status of regeneration of county estates including Pangani and Jeevanjee are still in limbo.
Regarding this, the new office said a needs assessment is currently underway and the estates renewal plan is set for the current financial year.