Background:
RUSPS in Kenya encompassed the cities of Nairobi, the capital city, Kisumu, a middle size town on Lake Victoria, and Mavoko, a fast-growing municipality on Nairobi’s outskirts. Each urban profile is published as a separate report.
The national consultation was conceived as a partnership platform, co-developed with the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Lands and Housing, parastatal organizations, such as the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), and national and international NGOs. The aim is to promote inter-agency collaboration that integrates a wide range of urban actors in response mechanisms.

Objectives:
To contribute to urban poverty reduction and policy development in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries through an urban sector profile study – a rapid assessment of needs, response mechanisms and capacity gaps to be addressed at the local, national and regional levels.

Activities:

1. Research on the general background of the urban sector of Kenya, based on findings of the Nairobi, Mavoko and Kisumu analysis, a desk study, interviews and a national consultation, held in Nairobi on 12 January 2005. It contains information on urban poverty, population, urban services, administration and economy
2. Synthesis of four themes: Governance, Slums, Gender and Environment, analyzed according to intuitional set-up, regulatory framework, resource mobilization, performance; agreed priorities and a list of identified projects is highlighted
3. SWOT analysis and outlining of priority projects proposals for each theme. The proposals include beneficiaries, partners, estimated costs, objectives, activities and outputs.

Results:

• Study introduced to stakeholders and TORs tailored to national contexts
• Urban indicators collected, city assessment and profiling completed
• City consultations undertaken and priorities identified and agreed upon
• Synthesis of city profiles at national level completed
• National institutional framework and priorities reviewed, assessed and agreed upon through a national consultation
• Capacity building gaps identified at local and national levels
• Priorities identified and project proposals formulated in order to address them

The RUSPS experience shows that urban poverty can be reduced by improving governance and engage effectively in the fight against urban poverty, planning infrastructure and services provision and pro-poor land management and taxation to maximize the potential for economic and social development within informal settlements as well as environmental governance for regional, national and local government, as the impact of many environmental issues extends beyond the city boarders.

The published profile can be found under publications.