6. @Zeddy_M Can African govts sustain infrastructure growth (development & maintenance) to match this urbanization? #AskKirubiACF
It is possible, however, currently I believe the Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) can strengthen and speed this up as well as appropriate political partnerships. I would like to stress collaboration at all levels, from grassroots, civil society to Government. We should first look at what we want, i.e. look at the Masterplans (that have been produced for you and by you due to your participation) and following that, all infrastructure will fit into the appropriate plans leaving us to now create opportunities for local people and partnerships with the necessary suppliers whilst harnessing the locally produced materials (optimizing all our resources).
7. @yannick_beyer what role do you think will startup car firms like @MobiusMotors, offering cheap mobility, play? #AskKirubiACF
Nairobi’s issue is not the lack of cars on the roads, but the lack of efficient and safe public transport. Start-ups are encouraged, however they need to fill a niche or a gap and not add on to the current issues. The question is, are start-ups like Mobius Motors willing to bridge the gap in public transport; offering affordable transport options?@symowain What’s the greatest opportunity presented by African Urbanisation? #AskKirubiACF
8. @symowain What’s the greatest opportunity presented by African Urbanisation? #AskKirubiACF
Young entrepreneurs and innovators are the biggest opportunity. These people have the capability of crafting innovative solutions to meet the people’s basic needs and services. Africa is full of wealth; we have social innovators, strategic investments and partnerships, great local ideas and solutions for local problems that just need to be enhanced on a larger scale…. We need to look at Africa as a blank canvas- we can achieve anything as long as we research, experiment and do it right (not make the same mistakes as the West).
9. @fred_cheruiyot how can we make sure that we overcome the challenges of lack of transparency & accountability in urbanization? #AskKirubiACF
Systems need to be in place. Government policies on awarding of tenders, putting up of structures, mechanisms to punish and reward accountability, international investments and partnerships need to be strengthened, just to name a few. On the other hand, it is equally important to motivate and reward government employees based on market rates so as to lower the rate of corruption.
We also need to find a way of sorting out ethnicity/tribal issues that face many African countries. This particularly in the urban setting can hinder growth whereby one group feels that they ‘own’ a particular city and carry out most of the ‘big’ business transactions.
10. @le_njiru Does urbanization pose a great threat to our economy given that it’s rural-based-economy, agriculture? #AskKirubiACF
Why should it when done well? It’s a transformation of everything; the economy, people’s livelihoods, politics….meaning even the way we farm will change for the good of the country and its people. Technology in agriculture is the future including finding new ways to farm, to combat diseases, food security etc.
11. @petergicharu5 With the devolved governance, what are the roles played by the major stakeholders to move urbanisation to the rural setting? #AskKirubiACFI
It’s very simple, by partnering with the leaders in the various rural towns to enhance development and urbanization. We need to de-congest our cities and that is if we can cultivate the culture of urbanization and participate in it.
Devolution means decentralization. We need to move Nairobi from being the centre of everything and cascade this development to the county level across Kenya.
