Nasra Nanda, CEO of Kenya Green Building Society and Special Elect MCA in Nairobi City County, has raised concerns over the state of Nairobi’s built environment, saying it falls short of its potential to promote community dignity, business prosperity, and government legacy.
Speaking in an interview with Radio Generation on Tuesday, Nasra described the built environment as a platform that can improve the quality of life through housing, infrastructure, and services, while providing opportunities for investment and national development.
“The built environment is a platform that can enable dignity for communities, prosperity for businesses, and, of course, legacy for government,” Nasra said.
Nasra, who is also an MCA at the Nairobi County Assembly, emphasized that well-planned cities, efficient transport systems, and proper infrastructure create value for both residents and businesses, while giving governments a way to showcase opportunities.
However, Nasra criticized the current leadership for lacking a clear vision for city planning.
“Unfortunately, I feel the reality is that our leaders… don’t have an intentional vision of what they’re trying to create at a country level, at a city level. They don’t understand what is the role of creating cities that work,” she said.
She further explained that many decisions are driven by visible roles or projects rather than strategic thinking about the city’s purpose or function.
Nasra compared Nairobi’s planning to international examples, noting that cities in Saudi Arabia are designed around concepts like “cities of life” and “cities of work” to reflect what they aim to achieve.
“I don’t feel any of our leaders think really about what they’re trying to do. I feel they equate having big roles as development. They don’t look at what a city should facilitate,” she said.
The Legislator concluded that effective leadership in urban planning requires intentional vision and commitment to long-term city functionality.
“This is a system we’ve inherited. But it also… this is a challenge. Someone who has that leadership position needs to say we are here now. We might have a mess, but what are we trying to do?” Nasra posed.
