Urban Resident's Associations and the Management of Services in Nairobi: A Study of the Karen and Langata District Association (KLDA)
Abstract
This study examines the role of residents associations m service provtsion and
management, using Karen and Langata District Association (KLDA) as a case study. This
is done by searching into the operations of KLDA to establish the governance structure,
member's participation, service provision strategies and the relationship between KLDA
and the Nairobi City Council (NCC).
Evaluation of KLDA was done by getting the views of KLDA management team. Further
information on KLDA was provided by the members of the association in order to assess
their level of satisfaction with -the service provision in the area. Leaders of other
associations namely, Nairobi Central Business District Association (NCBDA), Buruburu
Residents Welfare Association, Dandora Residents Association, Kenya Alliance of
Residents Association (KARA), We Care About Nairobi Do It (We Can Do It), Makina
Umoja Usafi na Maendeleo (MUUM), Lindi Umoja Usafi na Maendeleo (LUUM),
Ushirika wa Usafi Laini Saba (UULS) as well as NCC officials were also interviewed to
complement the case study.
The findings show that residents associations playa central role in service provision to
residents and urban policy redirection is nee~ed to incorporate !~ese'as~ociations in urban
governance, essentially decision making related to service provision. Associations hold
democratic elections to choose leaders who are accountable to the members, allow
members participation in management of the.affairs of associations and provide a channel
through which residents benefit from assistance provided by the state and non state
actors. However, conflict and lack of coordination exists between associations and the
state actors as reflected in the case ofKLDA.
Citation
Project Paper Submitted in Part Fulfilment for the Degree of Master of Arts in Development Studies, University of Nairobi.Publisher
Department of Population Studies & Research Institute, University of Nairobi