Co-Production of the space. Case study of Mukuru special planning area

Abstract

By 2100, more than 85% of the world's population is expected to live in urban areas, compared with the current 55%. Noteworthy is the fact that this growth will happen mainly in self-produced settlements, which are the densest and most populated areas in African metropolises. In Kenya, Nairobi has more than 50% of its population living in self-produced settlements, which suffer from a great institutional abandonment and Mukuru represents one of the most populated and worst conditions. This paper aims to analyze how the model of the SPA (Special Planning Area) of Mukuru contributes to the improvement and recognition of these neighborhoods and their inhabitants within this city. Therefore, an analytical framework has been elaborated through Giddens' structuration theory focusing on the impact of the authorative structures, the allocative structures, and the systems of meaning. On the basis of the systematic application of this analytical framework, it has been evidenced that since the declaration of the SPA in 2017 until its implementation, there has been a significant improvement in the recognition of these areas and their attempt to integrate them into Nairobi. In fact, from March 2020, three new areas have been proposed for the creation of a SPA, which has proved to be a "model of success". However, the condensation of power on the part of the state has become obvious during the implementation phase, eliminating all those participatory and democratic processes carried out during the previous stages, thus denying citizens any access to political power.