Project type

Project Locations

Promoting/Consolidating Peace and Social Cohesion through Participatory Planning of Settlements

Kalobeyei town, Turkana County

Improving Urban Mobility through pedestrianization and non-motorized transportation

Ruiru town, Kiambu County

Land value capture through Global Land Tool Network

Lodwar Town, Turkana County

Participatory Slum Upgrading and affordable/ low cost Housing

Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Kisumu, Eldoret, Machakos

Revenue enhancement and Financing for infrastructure development

Kiambu County, Homabay town

Waste Management

Kiambu County, Kisii County

Institutional Capacity Development

47 Counties

Energy   Climate Resilient Development for Poverty Reduction in Kenya

Narok County, Nairobi County,

Gender, Youth and Human Rights

47 Counties

Renovation of Jeevanjee Gardens, Nairobi

UN-Habitat is supporting the renovation of Jeevanjee Gardens. Phase 1 of the restoration of Jeevanjee Gardens - the only green space in Nairobi's CBD - involved developing new pathways, and providing street furniture and waste bins; it was completed in 2015.  A second phase of improving the Jevanjee Gardens public space is ongoing. At the launch of the Jeevanjee Renovations, the Governor of Nairobi commited to upgrading and revitalizing 60 public spaces within the city. This led to a city wide open public space inventory and assessment, which was completed at the end of 2015. It will be used to inform the development of a City-wide Strategy on Public Space.

Project Duration: 2012 - ongoing
Value USD: 100,000
Donor: Mojang
Implementing Partners: Nairobi City County, Friends of Jeevanjee

Redevelopment of Nairobi Industrial Area and Revitalisation of Tom Mboya Square

Nairobi's Industrial Area is undergoing change, with light industry moving out and being replaced by recreational, shopping, leisure and office enterprises, creating an opportunity for redevelopment.  Based on a participatory people-centred design, the project seeks to create a more sustainable development of the area that considers public space. UN-Habitat and the implementing partners have produced an integrated development plan for the area that emphasises connectivity between the CBD and the Industrial Area. In the CBD, Tom Mboya Square is undergoing revitalisation that will include refurbishment of the Tom Mboya statue, relocation of the public toilet, construction of a performing space and creation of a shaded resting area.

Project Duration: Ongoing
Donor: Ford Foundation
Implementing Partners: Go Down Arts Centre, White Architects

Street development in Dandora, Nairobi

The project in Dandora focuses on the implementation of a ‘model street’ in a low income neighbourhood in Nairobi. Previously a well-planned neighborhood, Dandora has gradually degenerated to almost slum status. The implementation site, a street in Dandora, was selected as it is an essential part of the ‘Must Seed’ strategy, a step by step process of making small interventions that have large impact in the community.

Project Duration: 2015 - ongoing
Donor: Mojang
Implementing Partners: Placemakers, KUWA, Dandora Transformation League (DTL)

Reclaiming space for pedestrians - Intersection redesign in Ruiru Town

Ruiru, a fast-growing town in the Metropolitan Region of Nairobi, is facing challenges of rapid urbanisation. Ruiru town stands on the Nairobi-Thika superhighway, and is accessible by both railway and national trunk roads. Along Ruiru Road (the major road passing through the city center), there are no safe non-motorized transport facilities, and pedestrians fight for space with motorists, parked vehicles, car workshops or street vendors. UN-Habitat is currently supporting Ruiru town in developing a “Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan” as a strategic document to improve the mobility needs of people and businesses in Ruiru and its surroundings. This project will reclaim space for pedestrians by redesigning an intersection as well as parking space to contribute to improved safety and comfort for pedestrians.

Project Duration: 2016 - ongoing
Value USD: 100,000
Donor: Mojang

Local Urban Physical Development plans, including extension of the City and the Lakefront Development Plan.

UN-Habitat's Urban Lab is supervising and providing technical advise for the Planned City Extension of Kisumu.The city is growing fast and the largest share of the growing population live in slums. Planning for a redevelopment and extension of the city from the current city centre to Lake Victoria could accomodate new inhabitants and offer a range of social and commercial services, including jobs related to tourism, congress potential and park activities. A more dense, mix-use and connected city offers a range of possibilities, but it is essential to also address environmental issues, including soil pollution.

Implementing Partners: Kisumu County

Support to Sustainable Urban Development Sector in Kenya (Support to Kenya Municipal Programme)

The project involves the provision of urban planning support to the Kenya Government, and in particular to the county governments participating in the Kenya Municipal Programme.  UN-Habitat has provided support to eight county governments by helping them  identify their  capacity needs, conducting trainings,  and providing  technical support to equip county leaders and practitioners with an enhanced understanding of planning  and strengthening their capacity to effectively execute urban planning functions.  
Various capacity building workshops, targeting technical officers and political leaders, as well as leaders of informal settlements, were held for the eight participating counties. Kenya’s Urban Planning schools were also involved. Customized capacity building tools were designed for each target group; these emphasized promoting sustainable urban development, characterized by compact, connected, integrated and socially inclusive development. The training workshops also provided a forum for county officers to identify key crosscutting issues that are relevant to their county’s realization of sustainable development.

Project Duration: 2014-2016
Value USD: 524,800
Donor: Sida
Implementing Partners: County goverments, Kenya government

Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Programme (KISEDP), Turkana County

The KISEDP programme seeks to strengthening planning for resettlement and integration of refugee communities at Kalobeyei and contribute to improving the socio-economic conditions of the refugee and the host communities, reduce over-dependence on humanitarian aid and enhance opportunities for durable solutions while embracing the “leave no one behind” principle envisaged in Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.This project will develop a 15 sq.km. sustainable settlement for 60,000 refugees that will integrate the needs of refugee and local communities at the Kalobeyei new site in Turkana County.

Project Duration: 2016
Value USD: 100,000,000
Donor: Government of Japan
Implementing Partners: Turkana County Government, Kenya government, UN-Habitat and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Planners Competition

UN-Habitat in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development of Kenya organised a competion dubbed Student Design Competition for Kenya’s Towns' to seek creative planning and design ideas for sustainable urban development in Kenya. The competition was open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from around the world.

Through this design competition, UN-Habitat and The State Department of Housing and Urban Development, sought to create a momentum for greater urban design application by demonstrating the value of urban design in implementing newly drafted city/town plans in Kenya.It targeted the following nine cities/towns in Kenya: Mombasa, Malindi, Kitui, Machakos, Kiambu, Nyeri, Embu, Nakuru and Naivasha. This competition was design to complement and add value to UN-Habitat's support to the Kenya Municipal Programme. The best proposal from each town was exhibited at the UN-Habitat headquarters in Nairobi in June 2016. The designs have been submitted to the respective towns for consdieration.

Project Duration: 2015 - 2016