Learners’ safety among top concerns for Nairobi women MCAs
Nairobi County Assembly. Some of women MCAs have been vocal in fighting for the rights and wellbeing of residents
What you need to know:
- It’s been about one year since members of the county assembly took the oath of office.
- The MCAs are required to discharge their legislative, representation and oversight mandate for a five-year term that will end in 2027.
Female members of the Nairobi County Assembly (MCAs) have been at the forefront of advocating the improvement of education, healthcare, and the environment since taking the oath of office about one year ago.
They have centred their motions and statements around early childhood development and education (ECDE), war on illicit liquor and garbage collection. In April, nominated MCA Perpetua Mponjiwa took issue with the county government for what she termed mushrooming of unlicensed liquor outlets in downtown Nairobi.
The former chairperson of the Aviation and Allied Workers Union lamented that the illegal outlets were selling liquor to the youth and street children at night, hence impacting negatively on their health and contributing to the deterioration of security within the city centre. The motion was adopted by the MCAs and county officials carried out raids in some parts of Nairobi.
“The challenge is that these kiosks mushroom again immediately after the raids. County officials need to carry out raids regularly to curb this menace,” she says.
Ms Mponjiwa further petitioned the county executive committee to deploy traffic marshals near schools for learners' safety.
“Erect or instal bumps and signals along county roads that are near schools and other social amenities to save vulnerable schoolchildren from road accidents. The county government should also deploy traffic marshals at all zebra crossing lanes on all major roads in Nairobi City to help schoolchildren in Nairobi safely cross the roads,” said Ms Mponjiwa, who chairs the Education Committee.
Nominated MCA Perpetua Mponjiwa. In April, she took issue with the county government for what she termed mushrooming of unlicensed liquor outlets in downtown Nairobi.
The motion on schoolchildren’s safety was adopted unanimously by the MCAs. Ms Mponjiwa has accused the county government of delaying its implementation.
In February, the ODM-nominated MCA had requested the county administration to establish a free public education resource centre in Uhuru Park, which is still closed for renovation.
“Parks and green spaces occupy a critical place in the urban environment, providing opportunities for recreation and wellness, as well as environmental management promotion and sustainability for urban communities,” she said.
“Nairobi residents need to continue accessing the newly refurbished Uhuru Park, both for rest and recreation. This assembly urges the county executive to establish a public resource centre or a mini-library in the newly refurbished Uhuru Park to act as an open-source library stocked with reading materials for all age categories, a free area for board games and other appropriate indoor amenities that shall be accessible by all members of the public free-of-charge.”
Education and counselling
In March, her nominated colleague, Ms Lily Kidenda, petitioned the county government to offer training for all ECDE teachers in counselling and special childcare. According to her, the training was necessary to skill teachers in how to care for and guide the young children in their academic work, play and socialization. It would also enable the teachers to counsel children with special needs and behavioural problems.
South B MCA Waithera Chege has been vocal on matters of city beautification. She has accused garbage collectors of abandoning solid waste in some parts of Nairobi, including her ward, hence endangering residents’ health. Early this year, Ms Chege petitioned the county executive to rehabilitate and modernise all county parks.
South B MCA Waithera Chege. She has accused garbage collectors of abandoning waste in some parts of Nairobi, including her ward, hence endangering residents’ health.
“The Jubilee government invested heavily in the renovation of Michuki Memorial Park, Uhuru Park and Central Park, which will greatly boost the usage of the parks, with ever greater numbers expected to visit the refurbished parks on a daily basis,” she told the assembly.
“The same has not materialised for various other parks in the county such as Jamhuri Park and City Park which remain in a state of disrepair. The Johnson Sakaja-led county administration should urgently develop a strategy and measures to rehabilitate and modernise all county parks.”
Ms Chege has also been on the frontline of fighting for the establishment of car parks for taxis within the city centre. “Some of the available parking slots are in a dilapidated state, giving motorists the option of using private parking services, thus denying the county revenue,” she told the assembly.
“Some areas designated as parking slots have been converted into walkways. Section 55 of the Nairobi City County Transport Act prohibits taxicab operators from parking upon any roadway other than within a taxi zone.
"This Assembly urges the county executive to establish and designate more parking slots for taxicabs and picking dropping areas for online taxicabs within the city centre and revamp the existing ones to ease the pressure on the available spaces, provide efficient parking services to taxicabs and boost revenue collection for the county.”
