| dc.description.abstract | Ongata-Rongai is a rapidly growing urban center in
Kajiado District and it therefore falls under the
jurisdiction of Olkejuado County Council. Located only
15 Kms west of Nairobi, the town has experienced a lot of
physical growth which can be attributed to its close -
proximity to the capital city. Its physical development
is characterised by extensive residential and commercial
activities. The building activities have taken place in
a comparatively high rate over the last ten years thus
overshadowing the planning of the area.
This study is set out to examine the causes of
uncontrolled urban development in Ongata-Rongai. The
effects of uncontrolled urban development in the
provision of basic socio-economic and physical
infrastructure have been equally examined.
The effectiveness and shortcomings of the planning
institutions in the implementation of development control
.provisions have been examined based on the premises that
if the concerned institutions do not co-operate, then it
becomes impossible to monitor and control development.
The local authority, namely the Olkejuado County Council
does not have the resources to monitor and control
development in the
study area and neither has Nairobi City Commission the
legal mandate to control development in the area.
Prior to 1983, Ongata-Rongai town did not have an
approved development plan. The local authority used a
sketch plan drawn to no definite scale as a plot
allocation device to potential developers for residential
and commercial purposes.
With the town experiencing an increase in resident
population spilling from the nearby Nairobi City, Ongata-
Rongai underwent rapid physical development, albeit
without The guidance of an authentic approved development
plan. This was a great oversight for the council did not
set aside any spaces for public purposes and utilities in
the sketch plan | en |
