Nakuru Kenya
Known for its flamingos and once dubbed "the cleanest town in East-Africa", Nakuru, Kenya has lost a lot of its past glory. Particular environmental concerns are caused by the inter-relation between Lake Nakuru National Park and the residential and industrial expansion. This situation is aggravated by the fallen standards of urban services, requiring a new approach towards urban planning and management. The local authority's civic attitude and its willingness to collaborate with community groups, NGOs and industrialists form a foundation which the Localising Agenda 21 Programme intends to strengthen and expand.
Key Data
Nakuru town is located 160 km North west of Nairobi and is the fourth largest urban centre in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombassa and Kisumu. It is situated at an altitude of 1859m above the sea level and it is within the region of the Great Rift Valley whose formation gave rise to a unique natural structure. The town started as a railway station on Kenyan-Uganda railway at the turn of this century. The name 'Nakuru' is derived from Nakurro, the Maasai word meaning a 'dusty place'. The town is located in an environmentally sensitive area. It is sandwiched between Lake Nakuru National Park to the south and the Menengai crater and its associated volcanic landscapes. Further to the North East of the town is the Bahati Escarpment forming the western fridge of the Aberdares Escarpment. Unstable geological zones experiencing frequent local geological faulting characterize the western zone of the town. The most affected area of the Municipality is on the western side of the Central Commercial District around Ngata, Kiamunyi, Rift Valley Institute of Science and Technology.Nakuru population has been growing at the rate of 5.6% per annum. From a population of 38,181 in 1962, the population reached 163,927 in 1989. Nowadays, Nakuru is the fourth largest town in Kenya (after Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu), with a 1999 population of 289,385(GOK,...