| dc.description.abstract | Kenya's social and economic development has
been characterised by inequality between urban and
rural areas. Urban areas have continued to offer
relatively better social and economic advantages.
As result there has been migration of people from
the rural areas to major urban centres. This was a
result of colonial development policy which emphasized
on differential allocation of available
resources culminating in concentration of development
in major urban centres.
To bridge the gap between urban and rural areas,
the post-independence Kenya Government has adopted
the policy of deliberately channeling investments
and infrastructural facilities to a few selected
centres. This is the 'policy of growth and service
centres.
This study has critically examined the physical,
social, economic and historical factors that have
contributed to the growth of Wanguru Township, a
designated service centre. The township is located
in Mwea Rice Irrigation settlement. The settlement was embarked on in middle of 1950s when emergency
was declared in Kenya. The aim of the settlement
was to provide meaningful employment to some o:fMalJ.Mau
detainees who were detained in various detention
camps within the settlement scheme. Being central
located within the settlement, Wanguru Township was
selected as the Administrative Headquarters of the
scheme. Law court, a police station, Administration
police and District Officer were located in the
township. This resulted in demand for various urban
services and hence a commercial Zone-Ngurubani about
three kilometres from the Administrative
Offices evolved. In addition to serving the resident
population the town also ,serves as the major commercial
centre for the tenants living in various
villages in the settlement scheme.
Locational consideration such as availability
of water for irrigation, labour from detention camps,
flat and undulating topography which necessitated
gravity flow of water for irrigation and favourable
black cotton soil for rice growing also contributed
to the growth of Wanguru Township. The potential
for cotton, grams and rice growing has not been
utilised fully and when this is achieved in future,
the township will continue in its present role of
supplier of manufactured goods and a market for the
agricultural raw materials produce in the hinterland.
Due to population increase and subdivision of in the highland areas of central and Eastern
Provinces, landlessness has forced people to look for
alternative source OI livelihood in Mwea Rice
Settlement. Migration has also been a factor in the
growth of Wanguru Township,
From the study it has also bG8U found that in
addition to landless people, job seekers have also
migrated in search of employment opportunities in
various Agro-Industries in the township, Due to the
relatively higher purchasing power of the tenants,
businessmen have also tended to migrate to the town
for investment reasons.
The study has also revealed that the growth of
the townShip has been hindered by Lack of various
infrastructural facilities such as health, education,
water and sanitary facilities. The town is located
in the geographical centre of the irrigation settlement
and hence the water-borne and insect transmitted
diseases are very common in the township, like in
many other irrigated areas. The available health
facilities were 10cated outside the town and the
nearest dispensary which frequently runs out of drugs
is located in the settlement scheme. There was
therefore a need to build a hospital at Wanguru
Township.
The study also revealed that the most pressing
problems
were found in the commercial zone
(the Central business district Such problems included
lack of proper packing spaces, lack of proper packing spaces, innvailability of
piped water resulting in consumption of polluted
water from the rivers and canals and poor sanitary
facilities like pit latrines. The area is not
connected to the main sewer lines and the roads are ,
of poor conditions resulting in dust during the dry
seasons. Corridor developments along the National
Trunk Road, /B6/ from Nairobi to Embu results in
security problem is to pedestrians and vehicular
traffic..
Having identified the major physical, social
and economic problems in the township, the study
concludes with policy recommendation and implementation
strategies to guide in future detailed physical
planning for the township. This is followed by
proposals for social and economic bases and feasible
implementation strategies. The relevant implementation
agencies are also identified in the last sections
of the Emphasis is laid on Government and
Public participation so that the proposals can
successfully be implemented. | |
