Karen’s gradual fall from glory

May 22nd 2013  Known for its opulence and serenity, this pristine neighbourhood is the home to who is who in Kenya. But a combination of factors are threatening to ruin its good reputation, writes PETER MUIRURI
The mere mention of Karen conjures up images of affluence, tranquility and security. The leafy Nairobi suburb is perhaps one of the most sought-after neighbourhoods. It is actually where the who is who in Kenya’s political and corporate world resides.

The suburb also plays host to a number of internationally acclaimed organisations such as the Giraffe Centre, Karen Blixen Museum, Brookhouse School, Banda School and Hillcrest School.
Indigenous forests such as Ololua, Ngong’ and Kibiku combine to purify the air around the vast residential area. Like other parts of the city, however, population increase with its attendant problems threaten to cast a pale shadow in this piece of paradise.

Dilapidated infrastructure
In recent years, Karen residents have had to put up with dilapidated infrastructure with the recent rains wrecking havoc on the roads.
A case in point is the section of Lang’ata Road between the Bomas of Kenya and Karen Shopping Centre that resembles a lunar landscape, slowing traffic in an area that had hitherto never known traffic snarl-ups.
And it is not only the poor state of infrastructure that is giving Karen residents sleepless nights. The emergence of haphazardly planned structures continues to blight the area that had a reputation for orderliness.
According to Tom Mboya, the vice -chairperson of Karen Lang’ata District Association (KLDA), city authorities are to blame for the deteriorating state of infrastructure in the area.
He says the influx of new homeowners should be matched by improved services, something that is not happening at the moment.  
“Karen has witnessed high population increase in the last decade. This is due to the changing economic situation of the country’s middle class. Many who could not afford property in Karen are in a position to do so today. City authorities must match the growth with appropriate infrastructure,” says Mboya.
According to Mboya, the new residents are coming to the area for the same reasons that brought the older ones to the area; the need for a tranquil neighbourhood.
Tussle with City hall
There appears to be no love lost between the residents’ association and City Hall as evidenced by the many complaints that city authorities are yet to address.
Heather Boustead, a Karen resident for the last 36 years and chairperson of The Karen We Want initiative, says it is a pity that poor infrastructure should be the norm in an area known for its affluence.
“There have been no new roads constructed in the area while the existing ones are in poor state of repair. It is also hard to imagine that Karen has no connection with the city sewer system, and many have to make do either with septic tanks or hire of exhauster services. Some areas have had no water for the last six months,” she says.
However, the biggest concern for area residents is the mushrooming of what they term unregulated developments cropping up in various parts of Karen. The association lists twelve developments  said to flout the rules of Karengata’s Local Physical Development Plan gazetted in 2006. These include proposed shopping malls, residential homes and religious buildings.
 Interestingly, most of the developments have been given approval by the National Environment Management Authority, but KLDA has opposed the same citing poor sewerage system, inadequate water provision and possible traffic snarl-ups that may ensue once some of the projects are completed.
If you are a student living in a hostel in Karen, you had better make sure that the building has been properly evaluated and permitted to be used as such.
According to the association, some developers are turning residential houses into students’ hostels.
“The residents consider it unacceptable that such large numbers should be housed in the middle of a quiet residential area, and that water and sanitation services are inadequate to serve them,” says KLDA in an online report.
However, Heather says all these occurrences do not mean that Karen residents are opposed to development projects within the area.
“We welcome individuals or groups that want to live or invest in the area. However, they should follow the local zoning laws that require that commercial areas do not interfere with residential areas and are supported by adequate amenities. The peace and tranquility of Karen should be maintained for the benefit of both new and old residents,” she says.
KLDA office manager Muthoni Mukere says most of the cited cases have been presented both to city and environmental authorities for arbitration, some with little success.
“We have a huge file of issues that are pending at City Hall. Most of our correspondence has not even been acknowledged let alone answered satisfactorily,” she says.
Court case
It should be remembered that the powerful resident association that has been active since 1940 took City Hall to court in 1998 for the same reasons. It also argued that the council had not presented audited accounts for a number of years.
The presiding judge then ordered that the residents’ association collects and holds local rates until the council resolved the issues. More than a decade later, City Hall is yet to get the withheld cash.
“We have no reasons to withhold cash from City Hall, but releasing it now without the other party acting on the judge’s orders would contravene the court ruling,” says Muthoni.
In a meeting with KLDA committee members held in his office several days ago, Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero promised to look into some of the issues raised.