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Isiolo should be made a capital city.
Waria
#21 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 2:54:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 10/11/2007
Posts: 213
@ Mukiha.. spot on



@ Btimer ...FYI isiolo is one hour drive from both Meru and Nanyuki



@Simonkabz......The whether is not as arid as say....kitui



@ all ... The problem with Kenyans is that when cannot differentiate,marabit,Mandera,Wajir,Isiolo,Garissa. The colonialists must also take a chunk of the blame since they created the impression that life is only on the railway line



Most Upper east and NEP province is currently a huge neglected area and most people call non cushitic tribesmen 'merus' since they dont knw of the luhyas,luos kipsigis etc



But with the new NEP ministry the following are underway:

1. Oil Exploration in isiolo and selected blocks

2. Construction of Northern corridor to Adis ababa. Ethiopian side is complete and is a design marvel

3. Oil pipeline from JUba

4. Isiolo international airport



5. Proximity to meru maua (read miraa tea coffee) and Nanyuki (largescale farms,lewa,Tourism)

6. Security- The fears by 'Kenyans' of Al shabaab are un founded. Kenyan somalis and related tribes plus the somali refugees dont support them having witnessed the anarchy they can cause. In any case somalia border is agood 500km away and there are so many barracks in town



7. Finally -there is water and eleectricity

All that is needed is an architectural masterplan eg like the one for UAE cities


Me first,U next
Kaigangio
#22 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 4:40:00 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 2/27/2007
Posts: 2,768
hi all,

i believe that since nobody has as yet clarified what kind (commercial or administrative) of a capital city we should be having as isiolo,i guess that we mean administrative as all the factors that affect the growth and development of a commercial city do not favour Isiolo together with its environs.

I believe also that an administrative capital should actually be located in or close to areas with the largest populations as these are the areas where the largest official activities take place....you see about 85% of the kenyas roughly 40m people are found in the western part of the country i.e west of the longitudinal line dividing kenya almost into two halves.

the most centrally located region where the 85% of the population reside is actually Nakuru or Molo....either of these two can be the administrative capital city rather than Isiolo...


NEVER TALK OF A RHINO IF THERE IS NO TREE NEAREBY - ZULU PROVERB
...besides, the presence of a safe alone does not signify that there is money inside...
kadonye
#23 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 5:03:00 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 5/30/2009
Posts: 1,390
@ waria,isiolo marsabit n moyale r not in upper eastern,they're in northern part of eastn prov @kaigangio,new urban devpts shd be in sparsely populated areas,hence growth of nairobi towards kitengela ngong n rongai in kajiado,mlolongo in machakos as opposed to areas in kiambu

Trust God and follow his commands for this is the whole duty of man- Eccl 12:13
What a wicked man I am!The things I want to do,I don't do.The things I don't want to do I find myself doing
VituVingiSana
#24 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:42:00 PM
Rank: Chief


Joined: 1/3/2007
Posts: 18,225
Location: Nairobi
1) Chicago is located pretty 'north' rather than central... I think 'central' USA is in Nebraska (2) Chicago is not the capital of USA,it is Washington DC

Greedy when others are fearful,Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase WB
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett
VituVingiSana
#25 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:44:00 PM
Rank: Chief


Joined: 1/3/2007
Posts: 18,225
Location: Nairobi
LOL.. isiolo is isolated & who will move there? And the jamaa who said ati 2nd international airport... kwani Mombasa isnt an international airport? And so is eldoret... well,ask the warias...

Greedy when others are fearful,Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase WB
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett
VituVingiSana
#26 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 6:49:00 PM
Rank: Chief


Joined: 1/3/2007
Posts: 18,225
Location: Nairobi
@waria said '@ all ... The problem with Kenyans is that when cannot differentiate,marabit,Mandera,Wajir,Isiolo,Garissa. The colonialists must also take a chunk of the blame since they created the impression that life is only on the railway line'
*** Puhleeze... STOP blaming the colonialists for every little turd that you crap... They LEFT in 1963... and they built the railway... kwani,who has been teaching geography since 1963? Or written textbooks?
**** I like most SKerians was born way after 1963... please dont blame the Brits for your own own ignorance! Kenya (may) celebrate 50 years in 2013... if we dont have a civil war... also to be blamed on the Brits?

Greedy when others are fearful,Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase WB
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett
itz
#27 Posted : Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8:53:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 3/20/2009
Posts: 348
@waria.

those are interesting points you have.assuming we get oil what other vibrant economic activity would isiolo have to offer other than transit city to ethiopia and other places.you talked about water,where is the water coming from?
B.Timer
#28 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 6:07:00 AM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 5/31/2008
Posts: 1,076
@Mukiha & Waria

Hey guys,- nay by bandit country I didnt mean any other nation but certain regions in Kenya,that surround Isiolo,as well as certain sections of Isiolo itself.
I know my country fairly well, indeed I have been to Achers post a number of times,which is past Isiolo.
But dont you agree that the from Isiolo upwards Govt presence gets less and less,and bandit attack risk grows exponentially.

NB This is not meant to suggest any contempt towards the communities that live in those areas.

B.timer
Dunia ni msongamano..
simonkabz
#29 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 6:19:00 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 3/2/2007
Posts: 8,776
Location: Cameroon
I think kagizzard has a more valid point. Isiolo is not so central to majority of the population,infact,nairobi isnt too badly located.

Can silence be misquoted?
TULIA.........UFUNZWE!
selah
#30 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 6:43:00 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 10/13/2009
Posts: 1,950
Location: in kenya
Someone told me that in either the 1st world war or 2nd world war Isiolo town was bombed havig been mistaken for Nairobi.According to my informant Isiolo's cordinates put it at the center of Kenya.therefore if the infrastructure was to be put in place Isiolo would be the most centrally placed city in kenya.

My point is,if Isiolo was to be made an admiistrative city it would open up a very big chunk of this country.

In terms of the weather,I dont know if you know this,alot of agricultural products come from Isiolo and the Ewaso nyiro river passes through the town.


you can achive all things through Him(Jesus Christ)
'......to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.' Colossians 2:2-3
Kaigangio
#31 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:01:00 AM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 2/27/2007
Posts: 2,768
from the little geography that i remember the growth of an urban centre is driven by a finite line of interest e.g roads,railways,mining,agriculture (farming) and industrial activities.... it is these economic activities that attract people from various parts of the country to work and offer other economic services in the growing urban centre....

the question is,what does Isiolo offer as an economic activity that would attract populations????? nothing!!!


NEVER TALK OF A RHINO IF THERE IS NO TREE NEAREBY - ZULU PROVERB
...besides, the presence of a safe alone does not signify that there is money inside...
kishindo
#32 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 7:10:00 AM
Rank: Member


Joined: 1/11/2008
Posts: 121
with all its numerous challenges,Isiolo WILL surprise many..May God just give us 15 more years on earth and we'll see the development...

less is more for Architects only!!
Less is more....for Architects only!!
Jay R
#33 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:24:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 1/5/2009
Posts: 117
Location: Taehan Minkook.
I agree Isiolo is centrally placed,but we should not focus on making it the administrative capital for now.
The most attractive and feasible proposition would be making it a resort city. A place where people can always go away from the craze of their daily lives. With time and improved infrastructure,other sectors of the economy can then start taking shape,long after hospitality & education services have pitched tent.

With the place being virgin as of now,the best of city planning can be laid down and have the city we never had,a city where infrastructure precedes any settlement[buildings]. Sectors like manufacturing would be the last one to move in.

With cheaper and reliable infrastructure,living standards would be much higher in a place like Isiolo than current mess of a city that Nairobi is.
A lot of gov't support is needed though if that idea is to ever fly.Investors wishing to invest in Isiolo should be given more incentives than the current capital deductions for the hardships of a new frontier.
Universities and hotels should take root in a span of less than 10 years.
Isiolo can be our Las Vegas.


When i see my purple,you see it not.
when i see my purple, you see it not!
kadonye
#34 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 3:54:00 PM
Rank: Elder


Joined: 5/30/2009
Posts: 1,390
The purpose of moving capitals is not to make the new capitals larger than the former but rather to decentralise n make cities easier to manage.n the new cities dont need to have big time resources,the admin functions r sufficient.Just think of tz,those guys r way ahead in this issue.the eac secretariat sits in arusha.if such a chance was given to us it would be in nrb.

Trust God and follow his commands for this is the whole duty of man- Eccl 12:13
What a wicked man I am!The things I want to do,I don't do.The things I don't want to do I find myself doing
VituVingiSana
#35 Posted : Thursday, October 15, 2009 5:11:00 PM
Rank: Chief


Joined: 1/3/2007
Posts: 18,225
Location: Nairobi
I have been to arusha & except for the EAC has little real economic development (not related to EAC)... I agree to the decentralization but it has to make sense. Nairobi is a great location... poorly planned after the Brits left... And Nairobi is 'central' especially when related to our largest trading partner... Uganda...

Greedy when others are fearful,Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase WB
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett
Ngalaka
#36 Posted : Friday, October 16, 2009 6:12:00 AM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 10/29/2008
Posts: 1,566
Isiolo may be centrally located - looking purely at the land mass in isolation. Population distribution should be the single most important factor.

That wouldnt be too wise.

If from Isiolo you drew a parallel line to the Equator diving Kenya into North and South Hemispheres,and compared the populations in each half,the North would be such a tiny fraction of the South.
Economically the North is mere waste land.


Things arent always the way they look like
Isuni yilu yi maa me muyo - ni Mbisuu
Waria
#37 Posted : Tuesday, November 17, 2009 1:56:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 10/11/2007
Posts: 213
@ VVS and the rest who dont know geography

By MACHARIA GAITHO (email the author)
Posted Monday,November 16 2009 at 15:45
THE DISTRICT COMMISIONer assured the guests that contrary to popular perceptions,Garissa is a very safe place and there is no need for armed security escorts when travelling there.

Garissa,he said,had been found by an Interpol (International Police Organisation) survey to be the safest town in East and Central Africa. A local dignitary seated on the dais interjected: “It’s in Nairobi where you need armed escorts!”

Nairobi’s reputation for runaway crime had preceded us. Welcome to Garissa. It was for me too fleeting a visit,but a real eye-opener that leaves me deeply ashamed about my ignorance.

Like many others in Kenya,I tend to see the country as comprising Nairobi and the well-developed agricultural zones or tourist attractions. Other places are remote,dry,unproductive,hostile,parched,inhospitable,bandit-infested and generally good for nothing; unless,perhaps,they are blessed with oil,gold,rubies,titanium or other valuable mineral deposits.

That is the time we will all be rushing there to claim a share of the loot from the same places we have neglected,and exiled to the periphery of national life. The short visit to Garissa town can hardly allow me to form a clear picture of the rest of the district or the rest of North Eastern Province,the so-called contiguous districts of Coast and North Eastern Province,and the districts of northern Rift Valley.

But if my perceptions of Garissa town could be so comprehensively overturned after a short visit,then surely I must also be suffering similarly misguided impressions about large swathes of the country. I had expected a barren,inhospitable desert full of people dependent on relief food; a garrison town marked by night curfews enforced by heavily-armed soldiers nervously keeping at bay marauding bandits that could strike any time.

There was not a soldier in sight. Despite all that propaganda about Al-Shabaab militants from Somalia poised at the edges and extremist Islam taking root and starting to impose a virulent code on religious compliance,there as nothing out of the ordinary. What one encounters is not a barren basket-case,but a thriving commercial centre with shiny new office blocks and hotels displaying unique architecture.

The place is barren and dry,true,but the mighty Tana River passes nearby,and those who cared to invest in water supply and storage achieved dramatic results. There is thriving agriculture on the farms along the Tana,making Garissa town self-sufficient in succulent fruits and vegetables,with surplus available for markets in Mombasa and Nairobi.

FROM A SIMPLE CAMERA-PHONE,I uploaded on Facebook a few images of the lush gardens of the Almond Resort where our party stayed,a hotel,together with neighbouring Nomad Palace,that would not be put of place in Nairobi.

The responses were revealing. The majority flatly refused to believe that the pictures were taken in Garissa. Some friends in the US even wondered whether it was in Kenya at all. One friend suggested I’d used the mansion of some American celeb. Another wondered whether grass that green was artificial.

Those responses illustrated perfectly that some of us have been conditioned to dismissing certain parts of Kenya. At independence we inherited a development model that believed in investing all resources in high-potential areas,and leaving the rest of the country to its own devices.

We wilfully marginalised,isolated and under-developed certain regions. Then we came to swallow the lie that those regions were undeveloped because the people were backward,warlike and not “development-concious”. Now I understand why the people of North Eastern,Marsabit,Moyale,Turkana,Pokot and other regions deprived of development deeply resent the leaders and people who grabbed the best for themselves.

I saw a bit of that resentment in Garissa. That tied in with conversations I’ve had over the years with various friends from marginalised communities. The resentment is justifiable,but there is also an element that is too quick to blame the system for their own inadequacies.

Garissa is growing despite government neglect; because a hard-working,entrepreneurial and resourceful people do not sit on their butts waiting to be lifted up – they lift themselves up. True,successive regimes have short-changed important population groups by treating them like second-class citizens.

But what the neglected communities need is not handouts,but the communications and social infrastructure roads,telephone lines,electricity,piped water,hospitals and schools that will connect them to the rest of Kenya. Ultimately,however,all must work hard for their own development. That is the lesson from Garissa.

mgaitho@nation.co.ke

From this change good will come
Ngalaka
#38 Posted : Tuesday, November 17, 2009 2:07:00 PM
Rank: Veteran


Joined: 10/29/2008
Posts: 1,566
@Waria

A hard sell.


Things arent always the way they look like
Isuni yilu yi maa me muyo - ni Mbisuu
Waria
#39 Posted : Tuesday, November 17, 2009 2:30:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 10/11/2007
Posts: 213
@ ngalaka...i believe this is the part you skipped...'The responses were revealing. The majority flatly refused to believe that the pictures were taken in Garissa. Some friends in the US even wondered whether it was in Kenya at all. One friend suggested I’d used the mansion of some American celeb. Another wondered whether grass that green was artificial. Those responses illustrated perfectly that some of us have been conditioned to dismissing certain parts of Kenya. At independence we inherited a development model that believed in investing all resources in high-potential areas,and leaving the rest of the country to its own devices. We wilfully marginalised,isolated and under-developed certain regions. Then we came to swallow the lie that those regions were undeveloped because the people were backward,warlike and not “development-concious”. Now I understand why the people of North Eastern,Marsabit,Moyale,Turkana,Pokot and other regions deprived of development deeply resent the leaders and people who grabbed the best for themselves'

From this change good will come
josphat
#40 Posted : Tuesday, November 17, 2009 3:20:00 PM
Rank: Member


Joined: 8/22/2009
Posts: 10
Btw i was born and bred in Nrb. But I agree with moving the admin capital to isiolo or nanyuki or someplace else...far from Nrb. And its real simple. And can be done long before 2030...

All it takes is two things. First move the Military. imagine freeing up all that prime real estate occupied by Military in Nrb,from Karen to Hurlingham to Eastleigh. Makes me giddy just thinking about it. That should take like 10 years. Enough time to clean up the last of the bandits and cattle rustlers.

The second phase can take another 10 years and it involves moving the whole government. From civil servants to Mpigs,plus all Ministers,PM and even the President,wote wahame. We dont need them in Nrb causing untold suffering and endless traffic jams. Let Nrb be left to do business. Politicians can go and bicker someplace else,preferebaly in NEP and Military can give them all the security they need from bandits.
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